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FQM-151 Pointer
AeroVironment
Not yet assessed
- Height
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- Payload
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- Verified autonomy
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- Real deployment
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FQM-151 Pointer
AeroVironmentThe FQM-151 Pointer is a small, hand-launched, electrically-powered reconnaissance UAV designed by AeroVironment Incorporated, fielded by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from approximately 1990. In its original configuration it was radio-controlled with no autonomous capability, operated by a 3-person crew; a later FQM-151A upgrade added GPS/INS-based waypoint navigation and loiter functions, reducing but not eliminating operator workload. Approximately 50 units were procured and the system saw combat in Desert Storm (1991), Afghanistan (2001), and Iraq (2003), and is now being replaced by the RQ-11 Raven and RQ-20 Puma. Several extracted facts relate to unrelated systems (fiber testers, RF analyzers, academic pointing-gesture robots, and AeroVironment's broader modern portfolio) and do not describe the FQM-151 Pointer itself.
Availability
Specification
- dimensions_and_weight
- Length: 1.83 m (6 ft); Wingspan: 2.74 m (9 ft); Gross weight: ~4.0 kg (8.5–9.0 lb MTOW)
- powerplant
- 300 W (0.3 kW) electric motor with folding pusher propeller
- payload_sensor
- CCD camera (360×380 pixels, 22×30° FOV); options: color TV or B&W low-light TV camera
Price
No public price — contact the supplier for a quote.
Good · Bad · Ugly
Evidence-graded claims from the AeroVironment deep report
LOCUST demonstrated automated safety shut-off validated for domestic U.S. airspace at White Sands with JIATF-401 and the FAA
A BusinessWire press release [13] — citing a joint demonstration with JIATF-401 (a U.S. government joint task force) and the FAA — independently corroborates that the safety shut-off capability was demonstrated in a government-supervised test; however, full operational certification and combat-readiness remain unconfirmed.
from AeroVironment deep report →AeroVironment won a $117.3M U.S. Army contract to deliver 82 P550 reconnaissance drones within approximately 2 months
Both an independent regional news outlet (al.com [11]) and a defense news site (TheDefenseWatch [14]) report the contract award and delivery timeline, corroborating the vendor announcement; the compressed 2-month delivery schedule is notable but not yet independently verified as completed.
from AeroVironment deep report →
LOCUST directed-energy system engages drone targets in 5–7 seconds at a cost of under $5–$10 per engagement
Both the engagement time and cost figures originate from vendor-adjacent or vendor-produced content (video summaries and a CEO conference statement [15][27]); no independent test report or government evaluation corroborates these specific performance or cost metrics, and the $5 vs. $10 discrepancy itself signals unverified sourcing.
from AeroVironment deep report →AeroVironment's systems have achieved 50,000+ deployments across 55+ countries
This figure appears only on AV's official homepage [1] with no independent audit, government procurement database, or third-party verification cited in the dossier; the number is plausible given the company's history but remains a self-reported marketing statistic.
from AeroVironment deep report →VAPOR CLE VTOL UAS achieves case-to-flight in approximately 2 minutes and is Arctic and maritime capable
The 2-minute setup time and environmental capability claims derive solely from AV's own press release [12]; the $14.6M U.S. Army production contract confirms procurement interest but no independent operational test or field report verifies the specific performance claims.
from AeroVironment deep report →
Switchblade loitering munitions are reliable and more capable than quadcopters, proven across 50,000+ deployments
Community defense forums (Reddit [34]) independently report lingering munition reliability issues and bomb-attachment reliability problems on aircraft pylons; the vendor's deployment count does not address failure rates, and no independent reliability assessment is cited in the dossier.
from AeroVironment deep report →
About the company
Editorial directory of real robot products from leading global manufacturers. Each entry links to the manufacturer's official page.