Avenger ER UAV takes flight
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 10 November the successful first flight of its new Avenger Extended Range (ER) UAV.
The flight took place at the company's Gray Butte flight operations facility in Palmdale, California. The aircraft is an extended-range version of GA-ASI's jet-powered Predator C Avenger UAV, which has flown more than 13,000 hours.
The new Avenger variant has a wingspan of 76ft and can carry 2,200lbs of additional fuel, extending the endurance of the UAV from 15 hours to 20 hours. The aircraft is suited for long-loiter intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) as well as precision-strike missions. It can support various sensors and weapons payloads for ISR and ground support.
The Avenger ER, like the legacy Avenger, has avionics based on the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper, a 44ft long fuselage, 3,000lbs payload bay and an indicated air speed of over 400 knots. It can carry payloads such as the 2,000lb Joint Direct Attack Munition, the MS-177 electro-optical/infrared sensor and GA-ASI Lynx all-weather multimode radar.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Royal Navy selects Animal Dynamics parafoil UAV for second phase of Heavy Lift challenge]()
Royal Navy selects Animal Dynamics parafoil UAV for second phase of Heavy Lift challenge
With a payload capacity of 135kg, the Stork STM can fly up to 400km using a parafoil wing to generate lift.
-
![IDEX 2023: Autel Robotics showcases DJI challenger drone]()
IDEX 2023: Autel Robotics showcases DJI challenger drone
Autel Robotics presented its Dragonfish series and EVO Max 4T at IDEX 2023, hoping to challenge DJI's market dominance with the latter.
-
![BAE and Innovaero debut Strix, Australia’s first domestic armed VTOL UAS]()
BAE and Innovaero debut Strix, Australia’s first domestic armed VTOL UAS
At the Avalon Airshow, BAE Systems Australia debuted Australia’s first domestically designed, built and armed VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) uncrewed air system (UAS), the Strix.
-
![Enhanced autopilots pave way to autonomy for US multi-engine jets]()
Enhanced autopilots pave way to autonomy for US multi-engine jets
The USAF has commissioned a year-long autonomy study by Reliable Robotics for large jet aircraft.
-
![IDEX 2023: Black Eagle UAV gets miniature airborne radar]()
IDEX 2023: Black Eagle UAV gets miniature airborne radar
Integrating the radar into the Steadicopter UAS allows the rotorcraft to spot potential maritime threats.
