United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Predator RQ-1E ISR UAS soars at UAE airport

ABU DHABI, UAE. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces’ Predator XP/RQ-1E remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), also commonly called an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or a drone, flew above the tarmac of Al Ain Airport as part of a “live-fly” event focused on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that support the defense and security sectors at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) held in Abu Dhabi.

With an endurance that exceeds 35 consecutive hours and the ability to ascend up to 25,000 feet, Predator XP, known in the UAE as RQ-1E, is designed with an automatic takeoff and landing capability, redundant flight control surfaces, enhanced avionics, triple-redundant flight control computers, high-definition electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) camera sensor, and a wide-area search radar system for both overland and maritime surveillance. The aircraft is also equipped with both line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) data link systems for over-the-horizon operations.

“Our aircraft typically spend their time high in the sky providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance [ISR] information to government and military operators. So it’s great that the audience who came out to Al Ain were able to see RQ-1E aircraft perform,” says David R. Alexander, president, aircraft systems, GA-ASI.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable UAS, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator, Reaper, and Gray Eagle UAS programs of record and the LynxMulti-mode Radar. Celebrating over 25 years of aviation innovation, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, multi-mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight, enabling situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas.