Aerovironment Inc. has received a $6.9 million order from the U.S. Air Force for its small Raven drone.

The Monrovia developer of unmanned aircraft systems on Tuesday said the order came under an existing contract with the U.S. Army. The 4.2-pound Raven is used by the military for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.

“Real-time aerial video from small unmanned aircraft systems has proven invaluable to war fighters on the battlefield, and can similarly benefit security forces at Air Force bases,” said Tom Herring, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, in a statement.

Shares were up $1.28, or 4.5 percent, to $30.04 in midday trading on the Nasdaq.