Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Aerovironment has "Unmanned" Advantage Over Competition

"The Future is unmanned."
That's the vision of defense contractor:  AeroVironment Inc., which makes electrical Unmanned Air Surveillance Systems, also known as "UAS".

Every American hates to see casualties of war, and AeroVironment's eco-friendly solution to reduce casualties in military conflicts gives it a distinct advantage over competing contractors, such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, which are known for producing jets and missiles.

Regardless of who wins the race for the White House, our military will still require the safest methods and smartest tools if they're in the midst of an international conflict. If soldiers' lives can be saved through the use a remotely controlled device, (whether its as robotic spider spy camera or a UAS), than it's a sacrifice worth the cost.

UAS are ideal for spotting encroaching enemies, patrolling borders, or finding lost soldiers. The spy planes range in size and ability, from the lightweight ,hand-launched, Raven, which has wingspan of 4.5 feet and a weight of 4.2 pounds,  to the Global Observer, which can reach altitudes of 65,000 feet and carry a payload up to 1000 pounds for fly for several days.The Raven sends real-time color or infrared imagery back viewing stations at ground control.

Judging from the past year in the stock market, investors agree that AeroVironment is leading the way to a safer and smarter future in national defense. Boeing's stock price has fallen from $102 per share last October, and is at $50 today. Lockheed Martin was at $108 a year ago, and is selling for $79 today. Conversely, AeroVironment was selling for $25 in Oct. 07 and is selling for $32 today.

Maybe these figures indicate of a future where we're protected by robots, not humans, but we known what that led to in the movies, I-Robot and Short Circuit.

Posted By Matt O'Hern at 01:03 PM
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