WeaponSpecs

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper vs AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven

Full specs: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper leads on range (1,850 vs 10 km).

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Full data

Full spec sheet

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper Wins 5/8
AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven Wins 3/8
Performance
Max speed (km/h) 480 km/h 95 km/h
Cruise speed (km/h) 313 km/h 45 km/h
Range (km) 1,850 km 10 km
Service ceiling (m) 15,240 m 4,600 m
Endurance (h) 27 h 1.3 h
Firepower
Hardpoints 7 N/A
Weapons payload (kg) 1,700 kg N/A
Physical
Length (m) 11 m 1.1 m
Empty weight (kg) 2,223 kg N/A
Combat weight (kg) 4,760 kg 2 kg
Crew 0 0
Propulsion
Engine power (hp) 900 hp N/A
Program
Unit cost (USD) $32,000,000 $35,000
Units built 350 19,000
Operator countries 15 25

Frequently asked questions

Which is faster, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 480 km/h.

Which has the longer range? +

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the longest range at 1,850 km.

Which carries the larger weapons payload? +

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper carries the largest weapons payload at 1,700 kg.

Which is cheaper? +

The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven has the lower public unit-cost figure at 35,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.

Which has the higher endurance? +

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the higher endurance at 27 h.

Which has the higher cruise speed? +

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the higher cruise speed at 313 km/h.

Is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper better than the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +

On the public specs we track, the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper leads on 5 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.

Where does this comparison data come from? +

Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.

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