AeroVironment’s VideoRay Supports AEVEX Team Selected for Navy Mine Countermeasure Prototype

On Oct. 8, 2026, AeroVironment announced that its subsidiary, VideoRay, is part of an AEVEX-led team selected for a prototype agreement after the U.S. Navy and Defense Innovation Unit’s Mine Countermeasure Modernization Prize Challenge. The Navy will add the winning systems to its autonomous mine countermeasure kits as the service moves commercial technology into operational use.

During testing, VideoRay’s autonomous remotely operated vehicle (ROV) launched from an AEVEX unmanned surface vessel with automated launch and recovery, while operators controlled the mission from a remote station beyond the horizon. The system handled transit, ROV deployment and retrieval, target investigation, simulated neutralization, and post-engagement assessment. The ROV is based on VideoRay’s Mission Specialist Defender, a modular, open-architecture underwater robot that supports third-party payloads and serves as the base for the Navy’s MK20 Defender ROV.