AAI RQ-7 Shadow
AAI Corporation · United States · first flew 1991 · reconnaissance aircraft
The RQ-7 Shadow is a small American tactical unmanned aircraft used for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tailhook under the rear fuselage for arrested recovery |
| T — Tail | V-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High, constant-chord wing on a small pusher-propeller airframe
- Twin tailbooms joined by an inverted V-tail
- Tailhook under the rear fuselage for arrested recovery
A small high-winged drone with a rear pusher engine, twin tailbooms and an inverted V-tail. It is recovered by tailhook onto arresting gear.
Specifications
- The AAI RQ-7 Shadow has a length of 3.41 m (11 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 3.87 m (13 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 204 km/h (127 mph).
- Typical crew: 0.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by AAI from its Pioneer drone, the Shadow first flew in 1991 and entered Army service in 2002. The improved RQ-7B version replaced the original from 2004.
Variants
The RQ-7A had a 3.89 m wingspan; the RQ-7B has longer wings with extra fuel, and the later BV2 version has a 6.1 m span, longer endurance and an encrypted data link.
Where you'll see it
It is flown by the United States Army and Marine Corps and by Australia, Sweden, Turkey and Italy. It launches from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult.
Related aircraft
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