General Atomics MQ-1 Predator

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems · United States · first flew 1994 · reconnaissance aircraft

The General Atomics RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator is an American unmanned aerial vehicle designed for long-endurance reconnaissance and armed surveillance, becoming the definitive MALE drone of the 2000s. Armed Predators firing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles were used extensively in US counter-terrorism operations.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.22 m fuselage
T — Tail	V-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Unmanned medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) surveillance and strike drone
Distinctive inverted V-tail with twin fins angled downward
Turboprop pusher at the tail with tractor piston engine variant also used

Unmistakable long straight-wing drone with a prominent inverted V-tail, a bulbous nose housing sensors, and a pusher propeller at the tail; satellite communication antenna dome visible above the forward fuselage.

Specifications

The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator has a length of 8.22 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.8 m (49 ft).
Its maximum speed is 217 km/h (135 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flying in 1994, the Predator entered US Air Force service in 1995 and was used extensively over Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The MQ-1 variant added Hellfire missile capability from 2001, fundamentally changing the nature of remotely-piloted warfare.

Variants

Key variants include the RQ-1 (reconnaissance), MQ-1 (armed), and the enlarged MQ-9 Reaper successor; the Predator family has been widely exported.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the United States Air Force and CIA from the mid-1990s until retirement in 2018; exported to Italy and other allies; the MQ-9 Reaper continues in widespread service.

Related aircraft

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