US EditionUK Certifies Protector As First Of Its Kind Remotely Piloted Aircraft - Data Intelligence
- On April 29, 2025, the UK’s Military Aviation Authority granted official certification recognizing the RAF Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft as meeting airworthiness standards, enabling it to operate without geographic restrictions.
- This certification followed an 11-year, $500 million effort by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to prove the platform's airworthiness and operational effectiveness.
- The Protector RG Mk1, also known as the MQ-9B, is an unarmed, medium-altitude long-endurance UAS operated from RAF Waddington with 10 of 16 ordered delivered so far.
- GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue described obtaining the MTC as an immense challenge and a landmark accomplishment for the company, emphasizing the extensive testing and detailed documentation involved in the process.
- This first-of-its-kind certification based on NATO's STANAG 4671 enables unrestricted operation over populous areas and represents a technological milestone in unmanned aircraft systems.
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UK certifies Protector as first of its kind Remotely Piloted Aircraft - MÖNCH PUBLISHING GROUP
The UK has 10 aircraft of the 16 it has ordered The UK’s Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate to the Royal Air Force’s Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft, also designated the MQ-9B, certifying that it has passed a rigorous airworthiness assessment and verifying it’s safe to operate without geographic restrictions, including over populous areas. This April 29 decision was a first-of-its-kind milestone for a large, un…
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UK’s Protector RG1 Drone Receives Certification for Operations Beyond Restricted Airspace
United Kingdom reached a milestone in modern military aviation. The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) latest unmanned aerial vehicle, the MQ-9B Protector RG1, was awarded a Military Type Certificate (MTC) by the UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA), officially clearing it for operations in civilian-controlled airspace. This achievement represents the culmination of years of collaborative engineering, safety validation, and policy alignment between General…
UK Certifies Protector As First of Its Kind Remotely Piloted Aircraft - EDR Magazine
San Diego – 08 May 2025 – The UK’s Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate to the Royal Air Force’s Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft, also designated the MQ-9B, certifying that it has passed a rigorous airworthiness assessment and verifying it’s safe to operate without geographic restrictions, including over populous areas. This April 29 decision was a first-of-its-kind milestone for a large, unmanned aircraft system…
Military Type Certificate to the Royal Air Force RG Mk1 Uncrewed Aircraft Protector RG
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has communicated that the Military Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom has issued a Military Type Certificate to the crewless aircraft Protector RG Mk1 of the Royal Air Force, also called MQ-9B, certifying that a rigorous airworthiness assessment and operational safety without geographical restrictions, even in densely populated areas. This decision last 29 April represented a milestone, th…
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