General Atomics GNAT
General Atomics · United States · first flew 1989 · reconnaissance aircraft
The General Atomics GNAT (also known as the Gnat 750) was an early medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle that demonstrated the feasibility of persistent turboprop-powered ISR missions. It was the direct forerunner of the MQ-1 Predator.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slender fuselage with high-aspect-ratio wings |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Early turboprop-powered UAV reconnaissance drone
- Slender fuselage with high-aspect-ratio wings
- Direct predecessor of the MQ-1 Predator
A slender, propeller-driven UAV with a high-aspect-ratio straight wing and a conventional tail; visually similar to but smaller than the later Predator, with a less pronounced sensor ball on the nose.
Specifications
- The General Atomics GNAT has a length of 5 m (16 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.77 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 204 km/h (127 mph).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1989 under the Leading Systems / General Atomics lineage, the GNAT 750 was evaluated by the CIA and USAF. It conducted early covert reconnaissance flights over Bosnia in the 1990s before the Predator entered service.
Variants
The GNAT evolved directly into the larger and more capable RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator. Turkey acquired a batch of GNAT 750s for its own ISR requirements.
Where you'll see it
Operated clandestinely by the CIA over the Balkans in the early 1990s; subsequently replaced by the Predator. Turkey used the GNAT 750 for border surveillance.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.