Data Quality86%
MASS(Military Archive Scoring System)
ⓘ Regardless of era, the same scoring system applies to all units in the reconnaissance / surveillance drones category.
01 / Overview
MQ-1 Predator
Country
Prime contractor
Production
1995–2018
Quantity
360
Operators
Conflicts
💰 PERFORMANCE / PRICE ASSESSMENT Methodology ↗
RECONNAISSANCE / SURVEILLANCE DRONES · POST-COLD WAR
11
PERFORMANCE/PRICE
92
UNIT COST (2025 USD)
—
ⓘ Performance/Price and MASS score are computed across all units in the reconnaissance / surveillance drones category, regardless of era.
02 / Specs & Design
◎General6MOD.6
- UAV ClassMALE
- Category (MALE/HALE/Tactical/Micro)Reconnaissance / Surveillance Drones
- First Flight1994
- Service Entry Year1995
- Primary Roleaerial reconnaissance and forward observation
- In ServiceYes
◈Airframe6MOD.6
- Length8.23 m
- Wingspan14.8 m
- Height2.1 m
- Empty Weight513 kg
- Max Takeoff Weight1,020 kg
- Low ObservableNo
▣Powerplant5MOD.5
- Engine Type4-cylinder air-cooled turbocharged horizontally-opposed piston engine
- Number of Engines1
- Engine Power86 kW
- Electric PropulsionNo
- Propeller / Configurationconstant-speed pusher propeller
◇Performance5MOD.5
- Top Speed217 km/h
- Cruise Speed130 km/h
- Service Ceiling7,620 m
- Range1,250 km
- Endurance24
◆Payload & Sensors3MOD.3
▤Armament4MOD.4
- ArmedYes
- Hardpoints2
- Weapon TypesAGM-114 Hellfire missiles
- Air-to-Ground MissilesYes
⬢Control & Autonomy3MOD.3
- Control Typeremotely piloted
- Satellite (BLOS) LinkYes
- Autonomous CapableNo
▲Production3MOD.3
- Total Built360
- Operators10
- Variants7
◎Service History3MOD.3
- Retirement Year2018
- Production Start1995
- Production End2018
03 / History
SERVICE LIFESPANStill in Service
- 1945First deployment: Cold War
- 1995Production started
- 2013Sale: United Arab Emirates (4 units) · $197 M
- 2018Production ended
31
years in service
23
years in production
360
units produced
3
countries operating
ⓘ The producing country still actively operates it. 2 countries retired it.
04 / Conflicts
MQ-1 PREDATOR · CONFLICTS SERVED IN0% win
Total Conflicts
3
Victories
0
Ongoing
0
Losses
0
2011Operation Unified Protector—→20112011 military intervention in Libya—→2001–2014Operation Enduring Freedom—→
ⓘ Shown only from conflicts recorded in our database.
05 / Operators
MQ-1 PredatorSALES2records
| Year | Buyer | Quantity | Amount | Present Value (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 | $197.0 M | $272.3 M | |
| — | 4 | — | — |
ⓘ "Present Value" is an estimated amount adjusted for inflation.
06 / MASS Score
RECONNAISSANCE / SURVEILLANCE DRONES RANKING Reconnaissance / Surveillance Drones · Post-Cold War
MASS RANKINGSMASS ↗
47RECONNAISSANCE / SURVEILLANCE DRONES11POST-COLD WAR · RECONNAISSANCE / SURVEILLANCE DRONES797UNITED STATES · ALL WEAPONS6PERFORMANCE/PRICE · RECONNAISSANCE / SURVEILLANCE DRONES
ⓘ Rankings are within theReconnaissance / Surveillance Dronescategory.
📖 TERMS ON THIS PAGE6terms
Air-to-Ground Missiles are guided missiles fired from aircraft to attack ground targets. They enable aircraft to engage and destroy enemy ground positions, vehicles, and installations.
Operational state of a drone where weapons systems are enabled and ready for engagement.
Electro-optical/infrared sensor combining daylight cameras and thermal imagers for real-time target detection, tracking, and identification in military drones.
A device that emits a laser beam to mark targets for precision-guided munitions, enabling accurate strikes by designating coordinates for laser-homing weapons.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) radar are airborne radar systems used to detect, track, and image moving or stationary targets on the ground, regardless of weather or lighting conditions.
A communication link between a drone and its control station via satellite relay, enabling beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) operations.
These terms are listed automatically because they appear on this page.full encyclopedia →
📚 Sources