AeroVironment, Inc. is a defense technology company founded in 1971 that designs and manufactures autonomous robotic systems for military, government, and commercial applications. Under CEO Wahid Nawabi, the company develops battlefield-proven capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, with technical focus areas including aerodynamics, autonomous systems, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The company serves customers worldwide from its US headquarters.
The company pioneered the Pointer, recognized as the first man-portable UAS, establishing early technical credibility in small form-factor autonomous systems. Its current product portfolio includes the Switchblade and P550 systems, representing solutions developed for multi-mission autonomous operations. Over five decades, AeroVironment has transitioned from a small engineering firm into a global defense technology provider, maintaining focus on intelligent robotic systems designed to operate in contested environments.
AeroVironment's engineering culture traces to founder Dr. Paul MacCready and emphasizes delivering systems that provide technological advantage to operational users. The company's stated values center on results-driven innovation, customer dedication, and what it describes as a people-first approach to engineering complex autonomous systems. Technical development priorities balance mission effectiveness with sustainability considerations across the company's defense and commercial product lines.