How Pilots Fly The $32 Million MQ-9 Reaper

A Unique Drone

The MQ-9 Reaper drone can be easily distinguished from other aircraft because of its opaque canopy. The pilot sits on a portable container, also known as a ground control station of GCS. This can be up to 16,000 miles away from the drone, roughly the distance between New York and Puerto Rico.

Also, over the last two decades, it has completely changed the state of modern warfare, being involved in a number of missions such as the 2020 strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

This video gives us an insight into how the 12th Special Operations Squadron is training its new pilots to fly this drone remotely. We’re pretty sure that these pilots are one of the world’s best instrumented-rated pilots.

Do you think this drone is worth it?