Northrop Grumman VTOL unmanned helicopter derived from the Schweizer 330SP airframe, designed for shipboard reconnaissance, situational awareness and targeting.
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Subcategory | VTOL / Hybrid |
| Subtype | VTOL unmanned helicopter |
| Role | Reconnaissance, targeting |
| Class | Tactical |
| Classification | UAV |
| Mission | ISR, targeting (naval VTOL) |
| Datalink | Line-of-sight data link |
| Variants | RQ-8A, MQ-8B, MQ-8C |
| Notable partners | Schweizer Aircraft, Rolls-Royce |
| Operators | United States Navy |
| Frame type | Multirotor |
| Propulsion | Rotary |
| Range (km) | 200 |
| Combat-proven | No |
| Launch method | Vertical take-off |
| Autonomy level | Autonomous waypoint |
| Endurance (min) | 180 |
| Recovery method | Vertical landing (shipboard) |
| Max payload (kg) | 90 |
| Max speed (km/h) | 157 |
| Standard sensors | EO/IR ball turret with laser range finder |
| Production status | Superseded by MQ-8B/MQ-8C |
| Service ceiling (m) | 3810 |
| Airframe / lift type | VTOL hybrid – quadplane |
| Control / autonomy level | Waypoint / GPS-guided |
| Domain | Aerial (UAV/UAS) |
| Mission / use case – military | ISR, Target acquisition |
| Origin / supply chain | Military-grade |
| Propulsion | ICE – petrol |
| Range / endurance | Medium range (150–650 km) |
| Signature / detectability | GNSS-dependent, RF-emitting |
| Speed regime | High (150–400 km/h) |
| Threat vector | Surveillance / reconnaissance |
| Weight / class | Class II – Tactical (150–600 kg) |