Overview
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a large, unarmed surveillance drone that flies at around 18,000 m for more than 30 hours at a time. Its wingspan is wider than a Boeing 737's, and its bulbous nose holds satellite antennas that link it to pilots on the ground.
Its radar and cameras can watch huge areas of land or sea in a single mission. The US Navy flies a maritime version, the MQ-4C Triton, and Japan and South Korea also operate Global Hawks.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 14.50 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 39.90 m |
| Height | 4.70 m |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 6,781 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 14,628 kg |
| Max. payload | 1,360 kg |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 575 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range | 22,780 km |
| Service ceiling | 18,300 m |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 0 (remotely piloted) |
|---|
Powerplant
| Engines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Rolls-Royce F137-RR-100 |
| Thrust (each) | 34.0 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Did you know?
In 2001 a Global Hawk flew non-stop from the USA to Australia, the first pilotless aircraft to cross the Pacific.
Photos
Photo 1: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center from USA / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
