AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III

Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS)

United States | 2007

"Introduced in 2007, the compact and portable AeroEnvironment Wasp III has served American special forces operatives well."

Image from AeroVironment marketing material.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 06/22/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Today's battlefield requirements push a massive - and growing - unmanned aircraft market. AeroVironment is a leader in design, development and production of Unmanned Air Systems (UASs) and their stable of competent aircraft added the "Wasp III" product in 2007. This miniature UAS was developed against a requirement by the United States Air Force special operations section. The project goal was to supply in-the-field operatives with a lightweight, portable, remote-controlled UAS unit for overhead scouting work and target designation. In this way the Wasp III has proved a success and its adoption has gone beyond the USAF - the governments of Australia (Army), France (Navy), Sweden (Air Force, Army, Navy), and Spain (Air Force) have all taken on the Wasp III into their various services.

The Wasp III system features a length of 1.25 feet and a wingspan of 2.4 feet. It weighs less than 1lb without its mission payload - which centers on stabilized cameras offering high-resolution, real-time video in both day and night operations. Full tilt, pan and zoom functionality is built into these units. The camera module is installed in the belly of the aircraft. Power for the aircraft is through a single electric motor powered by rechargeable batteries and this system drives a tw0-bladed propeller unit mounted to the nose. Maximum range is out to 5 kilometers with cruising speeds reaching 65 kmh.

Structurally, the Wasp III showcases a broad wingspan, slim nose section and single-finned tail unit. For transport, the Wasp III handily breaks down into major components and can fit in its travel bag. Set-up and take-down is relatively quick. Beyond its manual control scheme (operated through a basic hand-held controller), the aircraft can also be programmed and launched for autonomous service relying on GPS navigation.

The Wasp AE is an improved product form of the Wasp III series, introduced in mid-2012. Along with increased operational ranges and a built-in Infra-Red (IR) viewing capability, this mark brings about an amphibious capability that allows the unit to land on water surfaces for recovery. Because of this useful feature, various world navies have taken an interest in the variant.

The United Air Force and Marine Corps have both selected the Wasp III family for various over-battlefield roles. The U.S. military inventory designates the Wasp III as the "RQ-12A".

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS).

1 x Electric motor with rechargeable ion battery pack driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
Propulsion

40 mph
65 kph | 35 kts
Max Speed

3 miles
5 km | 3 nm
Operational Range

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS).

0
(UNMANNED)
Crew

1.2 ft
0.38 m
O/A Length

2.4 ft
(0.72 m)
O/A Width

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) .

None. Mission payload consists of day/night high-resolution camera equipment.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III family line.

RQ-12A "Wasp III" - Base Series Designation

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 550 Units
Contractor(s): AeroEnvironment, Incorporated - USA

[ Australia; France; Spain; Sweden; United States ]

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Image of the AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III

Image from AeroVironment marketing material.

Going Further...
The AeroVironment RQ-12A Wasp III Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) appears in the following collections:

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