General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian vs AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven
Full specs: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian and AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian leads on range (6,000 vs 10 km).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 390 km/h ✓ | 95 km/h |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 313 km/h ✓ | 45 km/h |
| Range (km) | 6,000 km ✓ | 10 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 12,200 m ✓ | 4,600 m |
| Endurance (h) | 40 h ✓ | 1.3 h |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 9 | N/A |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 2,155 kg | N/A |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 11.7 m | 1.1 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 2,223 kg | N/A |
| Combat weight (kg) | 5,670 kg | 2 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $25,000,000 | $35,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 60 | 19,000 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 6 | 25 ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian and AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 390 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian has the longest range at 6,000 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian carries the largest weapons payload at 2,155 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-9B SkyGuardian has the higher endurance at 40 h.
Which has the higher cruise speed? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian has the higher cruise speed at 313 km/h.
Is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian better than the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +
On the public specs we track, the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian 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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