AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma
Summary
| Category | Drone |
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| First flight | 1 January 2007 |
| Year of introduction | 2008 |
| Number produced | 1000 units |
| Average unit price | $0.3 million |
Description
The AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma is a small, battery-powered, American, hand-launched unmanned aircraft system produced by AeroVironment based in California. Its primary mission is surveillance and intelligence gathering using an electro-optical and infrared camera. The drone is capable of operating under extreme weather conditions including temperatures ranging from −29°C to 49°C, wind speeds up to 50 km/h, and an inch of rain per hour. It had a reported top speed of 45 miles per hour, a range of 10+ miles and an endurance time of more than 2 hours. Each military RQ-20A system has three air vehicles and two ground stations. The drone carries an array of sensors, including a times-fifty optical zoom, to live-stream video back to its ground station.
The RQ-20 Puma was selected for the United States Special Operations Command in 2008. In March 2012, the United States Army ordered the Puma All Environment (AE) and designated it the RQ-20A. In April, the United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force placed a similar order for the RQ-20A. On 26 July 2013, the Puma became one of the first unmanned aerial vehicles to be granted certification by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly in U.S. airspace for commercial purposes. The UK tested ISR packages compatible with the Puma AE on board the M80 Stiletto trials ship in November 2014. As of 2021, 12 systems were deployed with 700 Naval Air Squadron permitting individual teams to be embarked on Royal Navy vessels as might be required.
The Puma has been used in various military operations such as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. It has also been used for civilian purposes such as monitoring oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. The drone has been praised for its portability, ease of use, and reliability.
Technical specifications
| Version: RQ-20 Puma | |
|---|---|
| Operational range | 15 km (9 mi) |
| Endurance | 2 hours |
| Maximum speed | 83 km/h (52 mph) |
| Wingspan | 2.8 m (9.2 ft) |
| Length | 1.4 m (4.6 ft) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 6 kg (13 lbs) |
All operators
Albania • Belgium • Canada • Costa Rica • Czech Republic • Germany • Denmark • Egypt • Spain • Estonia • France • United Kingdom • Greece • Latvia • Netherlands • Norway • New Zealand • Philippines • Sweden • Ukraine • United States