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United States AeroVironment
RQ-11 Raven
A small, hand-launched reconnaissance drone that became the US Army and Marine Corps' standard squad-level ISR system, providing over-the-hill situational awareness for dismounted units. One of the most widely fielded small UAVs in the world.
In service since 2003 · 25 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
95
km/h
10
km range
4,600
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $35,000 — Publicly cited per-system unit cost estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 25 operators
In service since 2003. Status: active · ~19,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$88K – $123K
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 95 km/h Bottom 10% of UAVs
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 45 km/h Bottom 4% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 10 km Bottom 6% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 4,600 m Stronger than 23% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 1.3 h Stronger than 25% of UAVs
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.1 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 1.4 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 2 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 0
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Electric motor, pusher propeller, hand-launched
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- Electro-optical/infrared camera payload
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- LOS datalink
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $35,000 Stronger than 88% of UAVs
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 19,000 Top 3% of UAVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 25 Top 3% of UAVs
Specifications compiled from public AeroVironment and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven has a maximum speed of 95 km/h.
What is the range of the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven has a maximum range of 10 km.
How much does the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven weigh? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven has a combat weight of 2 kg.
How many crew does the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven require? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven requires a crew of 0.
What is the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven used for? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven is a uav / drone typically used for isr.
How many countries operate the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven is operated by 25 countries.
How much does the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven cost? +
The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven has an approximate unit cost of 35,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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