Aerovironment shares surge 6.70% intraday after expanding VNS kit to Puma LE, enhancing GNSS-denied navigation capabilities.

AeroVironment (AVAV) rose 6.7% intraday following the announcement of its Visual Navigation System (VNS) integration with the Puma LE drone, enabling GNSS-denied navigation. The upgrade extends the VNS’s precise, computer-vision-based navigation to the full Puma family, enhancing operational resilience in contested environments. The company emphasized this capability as critical for defense missions amid growing GNSS vulnerabilities. The VNS retrofit kit also allows existing customers to upgrade systems, broadening market reach. This innovation aligns with AeroVironment’s strategy to advance autonomous systems, reinforcing its position in defense technology and signaling long-term growth potential to investors.