Unmanned aircraft firm AeroVironment is donating more than 100 reconnaissance drones, partially made in Simi Valley, to Ukraine in its fight against invading Russian forces, the defense contractor said this week.
The Quantix Recon is lightweight, easily deployable and can survey up to 0.6 square miles or 12.4 linear miles per 45-minute single battery flight, according to AeroVironment. It will be used to provide intelligence to the Ukrainian military for mission planning and to help keep its ground forces as safe as possible, the company said.
Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine Feb. 24, leaving thousands dead in the ensuing war.
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Final manufacturing and assembly of the drones was done at AeroVironment's Simi Valley facility, which used to be its corporate headquarters before the company relocated its main office last year to Arlington, Virginia, company spokeswoman Makayla Thomas said. The drones are shipping from there too, she said.
The drones and accompanying training services are being donated to the Ukraine defense ministry. A presentation was made last week by Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chairman, to Ukrainian officials at their Washington embassy.
“As the Ukraine military’s fight to protect their homeland and defend their nation’s freedom against Russia’s invasion intensifies, their need for solutions that can offer force protection and force ... capabilities continues,” Nawabi, who is also the company's president and CEO, said in a release.
“This donation will provide operators with a tool that can fly undetected by enemy forces and unaffected by radio frequency jammers to deliver accurate and rapid reconnaissance of remote, inaccessible areas of the dynamically changing battlefield," he said.
He added that "AeroVironment is honored to support the people of Ukraine."
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Delivery of the Quantix drones is independent of other AeroVironment unmanned aircraft and tactical missile systems already being provided to Ukraine by the U.S. government, the company said.
The Quantix drones are not subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations and thus do not require the U.S. government's approval to be donated, Thomas said.
The first half of the drones is expected to be delivered this week, the company said.
Besides its former headquarters, AeroVironment maintains three other Simi Valley facilities and one in Moorpark.
Mike Harris covers the East County cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, as well as transportation countywide. You can contact him at mike.harris@vcstar.com or 805-437-0323.
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