Korea Aerospace Industries RQ-101 Songgolmae

Korea Aerospace Industries · South Korea · first flew 1993 · reconnaissance aircraft

The KAI RQ-101 Songgolmae (Hawk) is a South Korean tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle operated by the Republic of Korea Army for battlefield surveillance and target acquisition. It was the ROK Army's first operational UAV system.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Pusher piston engine at the rear fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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

Spot it by:

Unmanned aerial vehicle — no crew
South Korean military reconnaissance UAV
Pusher piston engine at the rear fuselage

A mid-wing pusher-prop UAV with a conventional tail, rounded nose housing sensors, and a compact design typical of 1990s tactical UAVs. The pusher configuration and South Korean military markings are the primary identifiers.

Specifications

The Korea Aerospace Industries RQ-101 Songgolmae has a length of 4.7 m (15 ft).
It has a wingspan of 6.4 m (21 ft).
Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

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

History

Developed in the early 1990s under a joint Samsung Aerospace and KAI programme, the Songgolmae first flew in 1993 and entered ROK Army service in 2002. The system uses a ground control station, catapult launch, and parachute recovery. It carries electro-optical and infrared cameras for real-time imagery.

Variants

One main operational variant with sensor upgrades over its service life. A successor, the Night Intruder 300, was developed as a replacement.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the Republic of Korea Army; not exported.

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