Mark, Kirk,

Many thanks for the information on Predator and Reaper UAVs. It's nice
to know that those flying near the national border with a PCAS have a
chance to detect and avoid one of these UAVs.

Do either of you (or anyone else) know anything about the family of
smaller, lighter UAVs that are being proposed for use by the Forest
Service and others for detecting pot fields and forest fires? Do these
also carry transponders? If the "big boys" don't comply with see and
avoid, I assume there's no chance these little guys will, either.

My concern is an encounter with a small UAV while running along the
Appalachian ridges.

-John

Ferstlesque wrote:
All Predators and Reapers have transponders with mode C, and maintain
2-way radio communication with ATC (with a phone as backup). Military
Predators and Reapers do all of their training within Restricted
airspace; when they must transit the national airspace to travel to
their operating areas, they do so under an IFR flight plan above FL
180. They cannot "see and avoid" in the common sense of the phrase, so
VFR flight in the NAS is not done. Kirk's estimates on weight are
fairly accurate.

Customs Predator B's have to be flown with a manned aircraft chase
plane at all times in order to meet "see and avoid" criteria, and do
so both inside and outside class A airspace. To me, this is the
epitome of waste (defeats the purpose of UAV's and is well over twice
the cost of a single aircraft with a sensor ball, AKA MC-12)... not to
mention the several-fold increased risk of midair with the aircraft
flying chase. I digress.

Losing an aircraft in other than landing or takeoff is increasingly
rare. If the signal is lost between the UAV and operator, it will fly
back into the vacinity of the home airfield on a pre-programmed, pre-
coordinated route.

I can't speak for other UAV's, but the Predator family does not
warrant the scepticism levied by the masses. Though I can understand
where it's coming from. UAV's are a new concept, and very little is
publicly released.

I flew the Predator for 5 years and have a close friend who chases
Predators around with customs.

If anyone has any other BASIC questions about their operation with
regard to the NAS and manned aircraft, please ask.

Mark