AeroVironment Receives $22 Million RQ-12 Wasp AE Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Order for United States Marine Corps

• Wasp AE to begin filling Marines next generation family of systems micro UAS requirement
• Largest single procurement of ground and water-capable Wasp AE

QUANTICO, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- At Modern Day Marine - AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) today announced it has received a firm fixed-price order valued at $21,779,408 for RQ-12 Wasp® AE small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and initial spares packages for the United States Marine Corps.

The United States Marine Corps, which recently unveiled its next generation small UAS family of systems, is adding RQ-12 Wasp AE as the short-range, or micro, solution to the existing small UAS portfolio made up of the AeroVironment RQ-11B Raven® and RQ-20A Puma™ AE. Puma AE is the USMC's long-range solution.

"Together with the professionals at ADS, whose military-experienced personnel procured this order by demonstrating a clear understanding of the customer's mission and requirements, we are confident that Wasp AE will provide deployed Marines with valuable situational awareness that will help them operate more safely and effectively," said Roy Minson, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment.

AeroVironment received the order from ADS, Inc. on behalf of the United States Marine Corps through the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Tailored Logistics Support (TLS) program. Delivery is scheduled within 12 months.

Previously procured by the Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, the Wasp AE weighs 2.8 pounds, operates for up to 50 minutes at a range of up to five kilometers and delivers live, streaming color and infrared video from its pan-tilt-zoom Mantis i22 AE gimbaled payload. Launched by hand and capable of landing on the ground or in fresh or salt water, the Wasp AE provides portability and flexibility for infantry, littoral or maritime reconnaissance operations.

"Wasp AE delivers unmatched portability and flexibility with its small size, all-environment operation and advanced capabilities," Minson said.

About AeroVironment Small UAS

RQ-11B Raven, RQ-12 Wasp, RQ-20A Puma and Shrike VTOL™ comprise AeroVironment's Family of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Operating with a common ground control system (GCS), this Family of Systems provides increased capability to the warfighter that can give ground commanders the option of selecting the appropriate aircraft based on the type of mission to be performed. This increased capability has the potential to provide significant force protection and force multiplication benefits to small tactical units and security personnel. AeroVironment provides logistics services worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness and provides mission services for customers requiring only the information its small UAS produce. AeroVironment has delivered thousands of new and replacement small unmanned air vehicles to customers within the United States and to more than 30 international governments.

The Puma AE small UAS comprises one component of AeroVironment's advanced, turnkey data collection, processing and delivery solution employed to provide commercial customers with engineering-quality information, on-demand, across multiple industries such as oil & gas, agriculture, mining and others. The Qube® small UAS is tailored to law enforcement, first response and other public safety missions. Small enough to fit easily in the trunk of a car, the Qube system can be unpacked, assembled and ready for flight in less than five minutes, giving the operator a rapidly deployable eye in the sky at a fraction of the cost of manned aircraft and large unmanned aircraft.

About AeroVironment

AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces, supports and operates an advanced portfolio of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and electric transportation solutions. The company's electric-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems provide powerful actionable information to military, public safety and commercial personnel around the world through real-time, airborne imaging, sensing and communication. Multiple government agencies helped to fund the development and demonstration of Global Observer®, a hybrid-electric, stratospheric UAS designed to provide affordable, persistent reconnaissance and communication over any location on the globe. Switchblade® is a tactical missile system designed to provide a rapid, lethal, pinpoint precision strike capability with minimal collateral damage. AeroVironment's electric transportation solutions include a comprehensive suite of electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, installation and network services for consumers, automakers, utilities and government agencies, power cycling and test systems for EV developers and industrial electric vehicle charging systems for commercial fleets. More information about AeroVironment is available at www.avinc.com.

About ADS, Inc.

ADS, Inc. is a leading solutions provider proudly serving all branches of the U.S. Military, federal, state, and local government organizations, law enforcement, first responders, foreign governments, and the defense industry. ADS is focused on solving customer's challenges through the largest product and service selection, the broadest array of procurement and contract options, world-class support and logistics solutions, and legendary customer service. ADS provides a single source solution that helps customers meet their mission requirements as cost-effectively as possible, reduce their cost of readiness, and enhance their acquisition strategy. ADS equipment and support solutions include C4ISR, Combat Support, Medical, Operational Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE), Weapons, and Optics as well as Special Missions such as CWMD, EOD, First Responders, and Maritime. http://adsinc.com - Our Purpose. Your Mission.

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