| Characteristics | MQ-1B Predator | Predator XP
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| Primary function | armed reconnaissance, airborne surveillance, and target acquisition
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| Contractor | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
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| Wingspan | 55 feet (16.8 meters) | 55 ft (17m)
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| Length | 27 feet (8.22 meters) | 27 ft (8m)
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| Height | 7 feet (2.1 meters)
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| Weight | 1,130 pounds ( 512 kilograms) empty
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| Maximum takeoff weight | 2,250 pounds (1,020 kilograms) | 2,550 lb (1157 kg)
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| Fuel capacity | 665 pounds (100 gallons) | 595 lb (270 kg)
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| Power | | 4.8 kW (redundant)
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| Payload | 450 pounds (204 kilograms)
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| Powerplant | Rotax 914F four-cylinder engine | Heavily Modified Rotax 914 Turbo
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| Thrust | 115 horsepower
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| Max Air Speed | | 120 KTAS
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| Speed | cruise speed around 84 mph (70 knots), up to 135 mph
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| Range | 770 miles (675 nautical miles)
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| Max Endurance | | 35 hr (10,000 ft MSL)
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| Ceiling | 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) | 25,000 ft (7620m)
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| Armament | two laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missiles
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| Control/Data Links Line-of-Sight | | C-Band
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| Control/Data LinksOver-the-Horizon | | Ku-Band SATCOM
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| Crew (remote) | two (pilot and sensor operator)
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| Unit cost | $20 million (includes four aircraft with sensors, ground control station and Predator Primary satellite link) (fiscal 2009 dollars)
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| Initial operational capability | March 2005
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| Inventory | total force, 150, as of September 2015
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| Features/Benefits | |
Multi-mission
Triple-redundant flight control system
Redundant flight control surfaces
Auto takeoff and landing system
Remotely-piloted or fully autonomous
Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) data link
High Definition (HD) camera systems
Lynx Multi-mode Radar
Claw sensor payload control
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| Variants |
RQ-1A Predator the baseline system, including the RQ-1K air vehicle. DERF funding from FY02 was used to reconfigure all RQ-1A systems into the MQ-1B configuration.
RQ-1B Predator the Block 1 system using the improved RQ-1L air vehicle.
MQ-1B Predator upgraded RQ-1B system which enabled the air vehicle to employ the Hellfire missile.
MQ-1C Warrior Block 0 was the Army version of the Predator, introduced as a stop gap in 2007 before the baseline Block 1 was available. It had many of the same features as the Block 1 but used the USAF/General
Atomics GCS rather than the AAI One System GCS, uses a C-band data-link instead of the faster high data rate Tactical Common DataLink, lacked the automatic landing system and some other features.
MQ-1C Grey Eagle Block 1 was the baseline Army version of the Predator and first flew in December 2007. This Predator variant for the Army used the AAI “One System” as its GCS. Each system includes 12 air vehicles, five GCS and associated equipment.
MQ-1C Improved Grey Eagle was the upgraded version first flown in July 2013 with 50% more fuel capacity and powered by a Lycoming DEL-120 diesel.
RQ-1K Block 5 Predator was the baseline version of the UAV used in the reconnaissance role.
MQ-1L Predator Block10 was the upgraded version of the RQ-1K Block 5 modified to carry and launch the Hellfire missile in the hunterkiller role. This was officially accepted for service use in February 2005 several years after having actually gone into action. The initial production standard was called Block 5 which remained in production through 2003 when the FY02 aircraft shifted to Block 10 configuration.
MQ-1L Predator Block 20 configuration introduced wingtip extensions for better hot/high operations.
MQ-9A ReaperSpiral 0, formerly Predator-B, is the enlarged version of the UAV and the baseline version of the new type.
MQ-9A Reaper Spiral 1 integrated the Hellfire missile system on the platform.
MQ-9A Reaper Spiral 2 was the improved version with higher gross weight, redundant flight avionics, digitally controlled engine, sensor and stores management computer, MIL-STD-1760 data bus and improved human-machine interface.
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