AeroVironment (AV) has announced the launch of the JUMP® 20-X, a next-generation, modular Group 3 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed to meet the dynamic demands of modern warfare.
Unveiled at the 2025 International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX), the JUMP 20-X is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) medium uncrewed aircraft system (MUAS) engineered to revolutionize shipboard UAS operations. With an advanced heavy-fuel engine capable of running on multiple fuel types, JUMP 20-X enhances operational flexibility, simplifies refueling logistics, and ensures mission adaptability across diverse maritime and expeditionary environments.
Built for long-range, multi-domain operations, JUMP 20-X supports 13-hour flight endurance and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity, ensuring persistent surveillance and strike capabilities. Its modular 30-pound multi-payload capacity supports a wide range of mission sets, including:
- ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance)
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) & Wide-Area Surveillance (WAS)
- Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) & Electronic Warfare (EW)
- Secure Communications & Video Relay
- Precision Strike Capabilities with customizable lethality options
The JUMP 20-X is built on an open-architecture, payload-agnostic, radio-agnostic, and STANAG-compliant framework, ensuring rapid integration with existing military networks and emerging technologies. This future-proof design enables seamless interoperability across joint, allied, and coalition forces, allowing operators to adapt to evolving mission requirements in real time.
AI-Powered Precision & Autonomous Shipboard Operations
Designed for hands-free operation in highly complex environments, JUMP 20-X leverages AI-powered autonomy to ensure precise takeoff and landing—even on fast-moving ships in rough seas or under extreme conditions, day or night.
Additionally, AV’s cutting-edge SPOTR-Edge™ computer vision technology enables automated object detection and classification, enhancing situational awareness and tactical decision-making in real-time. From identifying hostile threats to tracking moving maritime and aerial assets, SPOTR-Edge™ provides unparalleled intelligence at the tactical edge.
Shane Hastings, AV’s vice president and general manager of Medium Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, emphasized the transformative impact of JUMP 20-X:
“The JUMP 20-X is more than a UAS—it’s a force multiplier that delivers the unmatched versatility, efficiency, and reliability modern operators’ demand. By combining cutting-edge autonomy, extended endurance, and a modular design, JUMP 20-X redefines what’s possible for maritime and expeditionary UAS operations in the most contested domains.”
