AeroVironment is teaming up with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to build a trio of Ingenuity-inspired helicopters designed to hunt for subsurface ice on Mars.m
- NASA’s SkyFall mission will be the first to deploy three instrument-carrying helicopters on Mars, with a planned November 2028 launch window.
- AeroVironment will handle key helicopter components, including rotor systems, airframes, structures and avionics integration, while JPL will lead power, electronics and software.
- The helicopters will use JPL-designed radar to study the Martian surface and look for shallow ice deposits that could support future exploration.
AeroVironment Inc. (AVAV) is partnering with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to develop three Mars helicopters for the agency’s SkyFall mission, which is currently planned for launch in November 2028. The defense contractor said its MacCready Works advanced solutions team has been awarded a contract to co-design and co-manufacture the helicopters.
At the time of writing on Thursday afternoon, AVAV stock was trading 2.2% higher.
AVAV, JPL To Develop Three Mars Helicopters
SkyFall is set to be the first Mars mission to deploy three instrument-carrying helicopters, AVAV said in a release. The helicopters will use a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) designed by JPL to study the Martian subsurface and gather data on shallow ice deposits, which could be relevant to both Mars research and future human exploration.
The mission builds on AeroVironment and JPL’s previous work on NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which completed 72 flights at Jezero Crater.
AVAV, JPL Split Design And Development Roles
AeroVironment is leading the design and production of many key parts of the SkyFall helicopters, including the rotor systems, airframes, structures and avionics integration, the company said in the release. It will also be responsible for making room on the helicopters for multiple science payloads.
JPL is leading the development of the helicopters’ power system, electronics, algorithms and software. JPL will also work to take the project from a future concept to a formally funded Mars science mission, with a path toward a launch in late 2028.
SkyFall Maneuver To Deploy Helicopters
New to the mission is a “SkyFall maneuver,” which will release the three helicopters directly from the carrier spacecraft into the Martian atmosphere. They will then separate, deploy, descend, and land under their own power. According to AeroVironment, the approach significantly reduces the technical and financial risks of reaching the Martian surface.
The helicopters will carry JPL’s GPR instruments to map ice beneath the Martian surface in greater detail. Each helicopter will also carry other instruments to collect data on the Martian atmosphere, the movement of dust particles and other key environmental processes. NASA plans to launch the mission in November 2028.
Earlier on Wednesday, AeroVironment secured a $51 million U.S. Army order for additional Switchblade 600 systems.
AVAV Stock: Stocktwits Retail Sentiment
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for AVAV remained ‘neutral,’ unchanged in the past 24 hours, while message volume was ‘normal’ at the time of writing.
AVAV is scheduled to report its fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings on September 9, with one retail trader betting that another strong earnings report could finally push the stock above $200 and keep it there.
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AVAV stock has lost nearly 41% year-to-date.
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