General Atomics' MQ-9A Reaper is a medium-altitude, long-endurance surveillance and strike drone operated by the US Air Force and Netherlands. The Air Force is accelerating development of a lower-cost successor after combat losses, with seven companies selected for the programme targeting 2031 fielding.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Airframe / lift type | Fixed-wing |
| Control / autonomy level | RC line-of-sight – BVLOS, Semi-autonomous (human-on-the-loop) |
| Domain | Aerial (UAV/UAS) |
| Mission / use case – military | Armed UCAV, ISR, Target acquisition |
| Origin / supply chain | Military-grade |
| Propulsion | Turbine / jet |
| Range / endurance | Long endurance (>24 hrs) |
| Signature / detectability | GNSS-dependent, RCS – large, RF-emitting |
| Speed regime | High-speed / jet (>400 km/h) |
| Strike depth / operational role | Recon-strike complex (ISR + strike paired, e.g. Mavic + FPV, Orlan + Lancet) |
| Threat vector | Surveillance / reconnaissance |
| Weight / class | Class III – Strike / Combat (>600 kg), FAA >25 kg (Part 137 / waiver) |
| Confidence | low |