MQ-9 Reaper: America's Scariest Drone Ever Built (375 YouTube views Aug 20, 2023)

 

375 views Aug 20, 2023

The turboprop-powered, multi-mission MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) was developed with GA-ASI funding and first flown in 2001.

• MQ-9A "Reaper" is a highly sophisticated development built on the experience gained with the company's battle-proven Predator RPA and is a major evolutionary leap forward in overall performance and reliability. MQ-9A was designated "Reaper" by the U.S. and Royal Air Force, but has become the widely used name for any Predator B equipped with weapons. Featuring unmatched operational flexibility, MQ-9A has an endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 KTAS, can operate up to 50,000 feet, and has a 3,850 pound (1746 kilogram) payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds (1361 kilograms) of external stores.
• The aircraft carries 500% more payload and has nine times the horsepower.
• It provides a long-endurance, persistent surveillance/strike capability for the war fighter. An extremely reliable aircraft, MQ-9A is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and triple redundant avionics system architecture. It is engineered to meet and exceed manned aircraft reliability standards.