Kinetic 72004 MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The MQ-9 Reaper is a modern American combat drone, i.e. an unmanned aerial vehicle (UCAV), the flight of which took place in 2001, but the machine entered service in 2007. The drive is provided by a single turboprop engine Honeywell TP-331-10T with 950 hp. The machine is 11 meters long with a wingspan of 20 meters. The maximum speed reaches about 480 km / h, and the flight duration is estimated at 28 hours.

The MQ-9 Reaper was designed and is currently manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The MQ-9 drone is in fact a very far-reaching development and modernization of the MQ-1 Predator machine, hence it is often called the Predator B. Compared to its predecessor, it has many important and important changes. First of all, it uses a completely different power unit with much more power, which has improved its autonomy and performance. Secondly, the MQ-9 has a significantly modernized ROS system that allows non-stop control of the machine in flight and reduces the possibility of interference or loss of control over the drone to a minimum. The machine also has much more perfect navigation and control systems. However, the overall aerodynamic system with a butterfly tail has been retained. The MQ-9 Reaper is also considered the first American drone capable of operating in the "hunter-killer" mode.