Groundbreaking certification for RAF’s Protector Drone

The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Protector RG Mk1,also known as the MQ-9B,has achieved a significant milestone,securing a Military Type Certificate (MTC) from the UK’s Military Aviation Authority. This certification confirms the drone’s airworthiness and authorizes its operation without geographical limitations, including flights over populated areas. This landmark decision, finalized on April 29th, marks a pivotal moment for large, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

This achievement positions the UK at the forefront of unmanned aviation technology and sets a new precedent for the integration of drones into civilian airspace. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems,Inc. (GA-ASI), the manufacturer of the MQ-9B, is the first to receive an MTC for a large UAS based on stringent adherence to STANAG 4671, NATO’s airworthiness standard for unmanned aircraft.

Rigorous Development and unprecedented Safety Features

GA-ASI initiated the MQ-9B project in January 2014, aiming to enhance its existing MQ-9A platform while meeting NATO’s rigorous STANAG 4671 Edition 2 airworthiness criteria. This involved incorporating advanced features not typically found in other large UAS, including:

• Lightning protection
• Fire protection
• Anti-icing systems
• A fatigue-and-damage-tolerant building block design

Furthermore, all flight-critical software was developed in compliance wiht the stringent DO-178/254 standards, ensuring a high level of safety and reliability. The architectural design rigidly separates mission software from flight-critical software, further enhancing operational safety and versatility.

Industry Leaders React

Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI, emphasized the magnitude of this accomplishment:

Earning an MTC for MQ-9B was a herculean effort and a seminal achievement for our company. We invested over $500 million as part of an 11-year effort to develop an unmanned aircraft that meets NATO’s rigorous airworthiness standards.
Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI

Blue further detailed the extensive testing and development process, wich included:

• Utilizing three flight test aircraft
• Conducting full component and system-level environmental testing to DO-160 and Mil-Standards
• Performing full-scale static airframe tests to ultimate ground and flight loads
• testing for bird strike and hail protection
• Executing full-scale fatigue testing to three lifetimes (120,000 hours total)

The development process generated over 140,000 pages of technical data, demonstrating the MQ-9B’s compliance with demanding requirements.Blue congratulated his team and acknowledged the importance of this certification for customers seeking to integrate UAS into civil airspace.

Gp. Capt. Neil Venables, Type Airworthiness Authority and holder of the Protector Type Certificate, added:

Achieving the award of a first in class Military Type Certificate has required years of dedication and perseverance and is a testament to the hard work of all involved. it is a privilege to be the first to be awarded an MTC for the Protector Air System.
Gp.Capt. neil Venables,Type Airworthiness Authority

RAF Protector Fleet Expansion

The Royal Air Force continues to receive new Protector aircraft at RAF Waddington in the North of England. Currently, the UK possesses 10 of the 16 aircraft it has ordered, strengthening its unmanned aerial capabilities.

Global Demand for the MQ-9B Platform

The MQ-9B, recognized as the world’s most advanced medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS, encompasses the SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models, and also the Protector variant operated by the RAF. Beyond the UK, GA-ASI has secured MQ-9B orders from several countries, including Belgium, canada, poland, Japan (Coast guard and Maritime Self-Defense Force), Taiwan, india, and the U.S. Air Force (in support of Special Operations Command). The MQ-9B has also participated in various U.S. Navy exercises, such as Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group sail.

The increasing global demand for the MQ-9B underscores its versatility and effectiveness in a wide range of applications, from military operations to maritime surveillance and disaster response. As of 2024,the global military drone market was valued at approximately $12 billion,with projections indicating substantial growth in the coming years,driven by the increasing adoption of UAS for various defense and security purposes (Source: Market Research Future).