General Atomics has test flown a Predator unmanned air vehicle adapted to carry specialised Radio Frequency payloads for a wide range of applications, including electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT). The Predator carried a suite of antennas during the flight evaluation, including three mounted on each wing and a single antenna integrated on the nose. The modified drone underwent extensive electromagnetic interference (EMI) reductions so that specialised signal intelligence payloads can be integrated. Future flight testing will expand the overall envelope of the EMI-reduced Predator drone forlong-range missions.
Source: Flight International
