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United States Legacy General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-1 Predator
The pioneering medium-altitude long-endurance armed reconnaissance drone that established the modern US hunter-killer UAV concept. Retired from US Air Force service in 2018 and succeeded by the larger MQ-9 Reaper.
In service since 1995 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
217
km/h
1,100
km range
7,620
m ceiling
204
kg payload
💲 ≈ $4,000,000, Publicly cited program unit cost estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 1995. Status: legacy · ~360 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$10M – $14M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the MQ-1 Predator can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 217 km/h Stronger than 47% of UAVs
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 130 km/h Stronger than 39% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 1,100 km Stronger than 63% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 7,620 m Stronger than 52% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 24 h Stronger than 68% of UAVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 2 Stronger than 13% of UAVs
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 204 kg Stronger than 40% of UAVs
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 8.2 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 14.8 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 512 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 1,020 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 0
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Rotax 914 turbocharged piston engine
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Piston, pusher propeller
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- AN/AAS-52 multi-spectral targeting system, Synthetic aperture radar
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- LOS datalink, Ku-band SATCOM
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $4,000,000 Stronger than 59% of UAVs
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 360 Stronger than 61% of UAVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 3 Stronger than 48% of UAVs
Specifications compiled from public General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Baykar Bayraktar Akinci Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator has a maximum speed of 217 km/h.
What is the range of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator has a maximum range of 1,100 km.
What is the weapons payload of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator can carry up to 204 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator weigh? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator has a combat weight of 1,020 kg.
How many crew does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator require? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator use? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator is powered by the Rotax 914 turbocharged piston engine.
What is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator used for? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator is a uav / drone typically used for isr, close air support.
How many countries operate the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator cost? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator has an approximate unit cost of 4,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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