The verified answer
As of Oct 2026, DEPLOY verifies General Atomics: 1 model, 1 deployment across 1 region, 3 active incidents. 1 source back the record.
CategoryDrones
Overview
General Atomics is a San Diego-based American defense and energy corporation that develops the MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B) medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. The MQ-9 has over 27 hours endurance, speeds of 240 KTAS, operates up to 50,000 feet, and carries a 3,850 lb payload. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is the leading manufacturer of military drone systems for the US and allied forces.
Verified record
- Verified deployments
- 1 deployment on file
- Active incidents
- 3 incidents on file
Key facts
Product
MQ-9 endurance
MQ-9 ceiling
MQ-9 payload
Division
Data & sources
Web sources
1
1 source backing this record.View all →
Models (1)
View all models →Partnerships
Every company General Atomics has built with, alongside the ones only announced in a press release.
Most-frequent partners
Most recent
- with Lockheed Martinoperating
- with Rafael Advanced Defense Systemsjust announced
General Atomics on the deployment map
View the global map1 verified deployment across 1 region, newest verified May 2007. Explore where General Atomics's robots are operating, by place and type.
View the full General Atomics deployment record →
Relationships
Current leadership (3)
- Neal Blue Chairman & CEO
- Linden Blue Vice Chairman
- David Alexander President of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)
Safety record
3 incidents on record (3 moderate). Most recent: May 2026.
Most recent: May 2026
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Full safety record: incidents, sourcing, and exposure data →
Incidents affecting General Atomics (3)
- MQ-9A Reaper shot down by Houthi rebels over Yemen2026-05-29 · Other
via MQ-9 Reaper at United States Air Force (global operations)
- USAF MQ-9 Reaper crashed off the coast of South Korea2025-11-24 · Malfunction
via MQ-9 Reaper at United States Air Force (global operations)
- MQ-9 Reaper crashed into Mediterranean Sea after propeller decoupled mid-flight2024-12-16 · Malfunction
via MQ-9 Reaper at United States Air Force (global operations)
Includes incidents linked directly to this company, to its models, or to deployments of its models or under its operation. Retracted incidents are excluded from this view but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Operator customers (1)
- General Atomics1 deployment
Recent coverage
General Atomics in third-party press
Peer companies
- Amazon25 models
- Anduril Industries7 models
- DJI7 models
- Skydio6 models
- SIYI Technology5 models
- Autel Robotics4 models
Financial state
- Reporting basis
- private_reported
- Lifecycle stage
- mature
- Counterparty risk class
- low
Each numeric field carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.
Partnerships
4 total · 3 operating · 1 just announced
Every company General Atomics has built with, alongside the ones only announced in a press release.
Most recent
- with Lockheed Martinoperating
- with Rafael Advanced Defense Systemsjust announced
All 4 partnerships
open in the atlas →- technology—operating
- technology—operating
- General Atomics x Lockheed Martin (SDA Tracking Layer Tranche 3)withLockheed Martindevelopment2026-04-21operating
- General Atomics x Rafael (Bullseye Missile)withRafael Advanced Defense Systemsdevelopment2025-04-07announcedjust announced
Timeline
Every recorded move in General Atomics’s history, most recent first: funding rounds, partnerships, acquisitions, supply-chain starts, key hires, and press.
PartnershipGeneral Atomics x Lockheed Martin (SDA Tracking Layer Tranche 3)
2026-04-21General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems was awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver missile warning tracking and defense payloads for Lockheed Martin Tracking Layer Tranche 3 program for the Space Development Agency. The TRKT3 satellites will expand space-based missile warning and tracking capabilities.
PartnershipGeneral Atomics x Rafael (Bullseye Missile)
2025-04-07General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems signed an MOU with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to be their partner and US prime contractor to manufacture the Bullseye long-range precision-guided strike missile. The missile will be built at GA-EMS manufacturing center in Tupelo MS for US military customers.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Record createdJun 27, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Incident recordedMay 29, 2026
MQ-9A Reaper shot down by Houthi rebels over Yemen
- Incident recordedNov 24, 2025
USAF MQ-9 Reaper crashed off the coast of South Korea
- Incident recordedDec 16, 2024
MQ-9 Reaper crashed into Mediterranean Sea after propeller decoupled mid-flight
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedMay 1, 2007
MQ-9 Reaper at United States Air Force (global operations)
Sources (1)
Common questions
What is General Atomics?
What does General Atomics make?
Who competes with General Atomics?
Who is the CEO of General Atomics?
Where is General Atomics headquartered?
Where does General Atomics operate robots?
How many robots has General Atomics deployed?
Is General Atomics a top robotics company?
When was General Atomics founded?
Are there any incidents involving General Atomics?
Is General Atomics safe?
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-21
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Sources by quality tier
- 1
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for General Atomics.Peer companies
- Amazon25 models
- Anduril Industries7 models
- DJI7 models
- Skydio6 models
- SIYI Technology5 models
- Autel Robotics4 models
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning General Atomics from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
U.S. Air Force gets its first uncrewed ‘fighter’ aircraft
The U.S. Air Force has taken delivery of its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft, uncrewed jets built to fly alongside fighter pilots, at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, the…
FQ-42 Vengeance Finds New Home at Creech Air Force Base
SAN DIEGO – 21 September 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) congratulates the U.S. Air Force (USAF) on … mehr... The post FQ-42 Vengeance Finds New Home at…
U.S. Navy tests new tool to plan missions for autonomous jets
The U.S. Navy demonstrated a new system for planning and controlling autonomous combat aircraft during Gray Flag 2026, a large-force test event held at Point Mugu Sea Range in…
General Atomics delivers FQ-42 Vengeance to Nevada air base
Creech Air Force Base received a new FQ-42 Vengeance aircraft on Friday, with the jet to continue regular test and evaluation operations.
General Atomics FQ-42A Vengeance CCA Now Flying Together With USAF Fighters
CCAs are participating in ever-more realistic demonstrations, including with crewed counterparts, as actual teaming trials are on the horizon. The post General Atomics FQ-42A…
General Atomics says autonomous CCA is ready for production after passive-sensor target engagement with manned F-5 fighter
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said its Collaborative Combat Aircraft solution is ready for production after a flight test with a manned F-5 Advanced Tiger.
Hanwha, General Atomics test runway-free drone in South Korea
Hanwha Aerospace and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems flew the Mojave short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) drone from a South Korean Army airfield, landed it on a tank maneuver…
General Atomics Mojave becomes first MALE drone to land on rough battlefield trail and take off again under simulated combat conditions
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Hanwha Aerospace have demonstrated the Mojave STOL operating from a rough trail used by South Korean tanks and artillery vehicles.
GA-ASI Flight Test Validates Open Architecture for Autonomous Drone Missions
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Tactical Air Support demonstrated an open-architecture approach to autonomous drone operations... The post GA-ASI Flight Test Validates…
FQ-42 Vengeance Fighter Drone Program Update
Branded Content: The latest from General Atomics on FQ-42 Vengeance and the company's new Wildfire MQ-9 replacement platform. The post FQ-42 Vengeance Fighter Drone Program Update…
GA-ASI Opening a New Facility in Dayton, Ohio
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world leader in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, JobsOhio and … mehr... The post GA-ASI Opening a…
General Atomics unveils ‘Wildfire’ drone to replace Reaper
Pitched for the Massed Modular Aircraft program run by the Air Force and Defense Innovation Unit, General Atomics says its new drone design can exceed requirements set by the…
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /companies/general-atomics-parent.md
- RSS feed: /companies/general-atomics-parent/feed.xml
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/companies/3277dae7-9a4c-455a-836b-3c5f9c3c765b
- Revision history: /companies/general-atomics-parent/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Peer companies
- Amazon25 models
- Anduril Industries7 models
- DJI7 models
- Skydio6 models
- SIYI Technology5 models
- Autel Robotics4 models
Video
The Reaper UAV may look simple but behind the scenes it relies on a launch crew, ground data terminals, and ground control station. Technical overview of the MQ-9.
The MQ-9 Reaper first flew 25 years ago and is still getting tasked despite being slow and non-stealthy. Overview of the Reaper's operational history and contin
Official footage of MQ-9 Reaper operations including takeoff, landing, and mission capabilities.
Heat Index
Serious58/100
A composite of competitive footprint, funding, press velocity, active partnerships, and supply-chain edges. Different from the Intelligence score below (which is per-form-factor productization). Non-robotics companies cap at 25.
Reality vs attention
General Atomics draws attention at the 88th percentile but verifies reality at the 9th percentile among aerial robots. Hype Gap +78.7, 5th widest among aerial robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Broad public reach with 1.1M video views. Safety profile within acceptable range for category. Deployment footprint remains limited relative to category peers.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Oct 2, 2026