GA-ASI announces new PELE small UAS for international customers

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world leader in unmanned aircraft from the iconic Predator to the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has unveiled a new small uncrewed launched effect with widespread multi-mission capabilities for the global aerospace and defense market.

Inspired by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of powerful natural forces in the Pacific, the Precision Exportable Launched Effect – PELE – is a small, attrition-tolerant, propeller-driven unmanned aircraft designed to extend the sensing and other capabilities of a mothership aircraft and its user service. PELE is a semi-autonomous unmanned aircraft system (UAS) with an 11-foot wingspan and 16-horsepower engine that extends user reach within challenging environments with potent effects. PELE also could be launched from the ground.

The new PELE is optimized for use on the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, the world’s foremost medium-altitude, long-endurance, multi-mission uncrewed aircraft. MQ-9B is in use or being considered for use by a growing number of nations around the world. PELE can fly with an onboard electro-optical infrared sensor for full-motion video as well as other integral sensors. The aircraft also has internal stowage for its own mission payloads.

“PELE brings even more versatility to growing MQ-9B fleets around the world,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “On one day, an air force might fly an MQ-9B with no external payloads to maximize its patrol time. Then on the next day, the same aircraft could take off and fly with several PELEs that would stand in against the adversary and take the immediate risks to preserve the larger aircraft.”

For example, MQ-9B might approach a contested boundary from international waters and release PELE to scout through the disputed zone to assess a hostile force’s order of battle or detect and precisely geo-locate anti-air systems. PELE is 9 feet in length, has a maximum gross takeoff weight of 250 pounds, 7 hours of endurance and range of 500 nautical miles.