General Atomics GNAT-750
Summary
| Category | Military Drones |
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Manufacturer | General Atomics |
| First flight | 1 January 1989 |
| Year introduced | 1993 |
Technical specifications
| Version: Gnat 750 | |
|---|---|
| Operational range | 2,000 km (1,243 mi) |
| Endurance | 48 hours |
| Maximum speed | 213 km/h (132 mph) |
| Wingspan | 10.8 m (35.3 ft) |
| Height | 0.7 m (2.4 ft) |
| Length | 5 m (16.4 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 7,600 m (24,934 ft) |
| Empty weight | 254 kg (560 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 517 kg (1,140 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 1 x Rotax 912 delivering 64 kW each |
All operators
Description
The General Atomics Gnat-750 is an aerial reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed in the late 1980s. Originally designed by Leading Systems Incorporated (LSI) as a simplified version of the Amber UAV for export, the program was acquired by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) while eight aircraft were in development. The Gnat-750 made its first flight in 1989. The aircraft features a low-mounted wing, measuring 10.77 meters in span and 5.00 meters in length. It is powered by a single 64 kW (85 hp) Rotax 912 piston flat-four engine driving a two-bladed constant-speed pusher propeller. With an empty weight of 254 kg and a gross weight of 517 kg, the Gnat-750 has a maximum speed of 115 knots, a service ceiling of 7,600 meters, and a maximum endurance of 48 hours. It can transit to an operational area 2,000 kilometers away and loiter for 12 hours. During flight testing, one aircraft crashed after a wind gust caused its sensor to register zero airspeed, prompting the flight software to shut down the engine.
In 1993, Turkey contracted for the UAV, eventually operating 6 Gnat-750s and 16 I-Gnat ER variants before replacing them with the TAI Anka. To obtain intelligence in the former Yugoslavia, the United States government contracted General Atomics for modified Gnat-750s to be operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In early 1994, a CIA team deployed with the Gnat-750 to Albania. This operation was limited by technical bugs and adverse weather, which led to the team's withdrawal. One retired airframe, number 11, is on static display at the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles, California.
Main Variants
- Improved Gnat (I-Gnat): This variant features a turbocharged engine alongside general refinements to increase reliability, reduce maintenance, and enhance capability.
- Gnat 750-45: This next-generation derivative of the Gnat-750 is better known as the Predator.
- Prowler: This smaller tactical variant features a 7.31-meter wingspan, a 4.24-meter length, an endurance of over 16 hours, and subsystem commonality with the Gnat-750.