Textron Aerosonde - overview of variants
Aerosonde - 1993, first prototype
Aerosonde Mk.1 - 1998, an unmanned aerial vehicle for extreme-range ocean meteorological research; In 1998 he flew across the Atlantic
Aerosonde Mk.2 - 2000, minor improvements, perhaps a new engine;
Aerosonde Mk.3 - 2001, PULP EFI engine, ...;
Aerosonde Mk.4 - 2005, increased electric generator power, AeRA engine, ...
Aerosonde Mk.4.2 - new electronics?
Aerosonde Mk.4.4
Aerosonde Mk 4.5
Aerosonde Mk.4.7 - 2009, possibility of autonomous take-off and operation from ships, Lycoming EL-005 engine;
Aerosonde Mk.4.7E
Aerosonde Mk.4.7G
Aerosonde Mk.4.7J
Aerosonde Mk.5 - variant for low altitudes with less endurance;
Aerosonde SUAV - otherwise Fixed Wing, variant currently (2022) offered by Textron, parameters different from series 4 machines (Mk.5 is unknown to me)
Aerosonde HQ - Hybrid Quadrotor, a variant of the previous version currently offered by Textron with four rotors mounted on extended tailplane spars and capable of vertical take-off and landing;
A50 - designation for 4 Aerosonde Mk.2 used by the Australian Army and the Defense Science and Technology Organization
XMQ-19A Aerosonde - designation for Aerosonde Mk.4.4 tested by the USAF and NASA;
Aeroguard - offered specialized military variant Aerosonde Mk.3, perhaps future Mk.4.7;
The first few (ten?) machines were built by the company Insitu Inc., for further production the Australian company Aerosonde Pty was established. Ltd. in Melbourne. In 2006, Aerosonde became part of AAI Corp., which in turn was bought by Textron in 2007. Production probably continued in Melbourne, assembly for American customers took place in Hunt Valley, Maryland, where production may have been gradually transferred. In 2011, AAI Corp. split into several divisions within Textron Systems Corp., in 2016 final assembly was moved from Hunt Valley to Blackstone, Virginia.