AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven
A hand-launched UAV widely adopted for military reconnaissance worldwide.
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The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven is a small, hand-launched, remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) originally built for the U.S. military and now used by many other nations. It began as the FQM-151 in 1999, then evolved into its current form in 2002, looking like an enlarged free-flight model aircraft. Launched by hand and powered by a pusher electric motor, it can fly up to 10 kilometers at altitudes between 100 and 500 meters above ground, or over 4,200 meters above mean sea level, at speeds of 32 to 81 kilometers per hour. The U.S. Army uses it at the company level.
AeroVironment manufactures the Raven RQ-11B. It won the U.S. Army’s SUAV program in 2005 and entered full-rate production in 2006.
Soon after, the U.S. Marines and Air Force adopted it for their FPASS program, and many other countries followed. Over 19,000 Raven airframes have been delivered worldwide. A newer Digital Data Link version, now in production for U.S. forces and allies, offers improved endurance and other upgrades.
The Raven can be controlled from a ground station or fly fully autonomous missions using GPS waypoint navigation. A single command returns it to its launch point. Standard payloads include CCD color video cameras and an infrared night vision camera.
The RQ-11B weighs about 1.9 kilograms, has a flight endurance of 60 to 90 minutes, and an effective operational radius of roughly 10 kilometers. It is thrown into the air like a model airplane and lands itself via a controlled 45-degree “Autoland” descent to a predefined point. It provides day or night intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance.
In mid-2015, the U.S. Marine Corps tested Harris Corporation’s Small Secure Data Link (SSDL), a radio device fitting on the Raven’s nose to provide beyond-line-of-sight communications down to squad level. This function had previously been limited to larger platforms like the RQ-4 Global Hawk or RQ-21 Blackjack. The SSDL is certified for “Secret” classification, measures 3 by 5.3 by 1.6 inches, weighs 18 ounces, and lets the small Raven extend communications for troops in the field.
In August 2015, selected units began receiving a Raven Gimbal—a rotating camera with a 360-degree gimbal that replaces the fixed camera, allowing observation without maneuvering the aircraft. The camera can switch between day and night settings without landing.
Background
The RQ-11 Raven was originally introduced as the FQM-151 in 1999, but in 2002 developed into its current form, resembling an enlarged FAI class F1C free flight model aircraft. It is launched by hand and powered by a pusher configuration electric motor. The Raven can fly up to 10 km at altitudes of 100-500 m above ground level, and over 4,200 m above mean sea level, at speeds of 32-81 km/h. The U.S. Army deploys the Raven at company-level.
The Raven RQ-11B UAS is manufactured by AeroVironment. It won the US Army's SUAV program in 2005 and went into Full-Rate Production in 2006. It was later adopted by the US Marines and the US Air Force for their FPASS Program.
The Raven can be remotely controlled or fly autonomous missions using GPS waypoint navigation. Standard mission payloads include CCD color video cameras and an infrared night vision camera. The Raven lands itself via a controlled 45° slope 'Autoland' descent.
In mid-2015, the US Marine Corps tested Harris Corporation's Small Secure Data Link, a radio device fitting onto the Raven's nose to provide beyond line-of-sight communications. In August 2015, selected units began receiving upgrades to a rotating camera with a 360-degree gimbal. In August 2017, Belgium bought 32 Raven-drones; Luxembourg bought 16. Variants include the RQ-11A Raven A, RQ-11B Raven B, CU-173 Raven B for Canada, and the Solar Raven, which integrated flexible solar panels to increase endurance by 60%.
Global Proliferation & International Operators
Since entering full-rate production in 2006 after winning the U.S. Army's Small Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle competition the previous year, the Raven has become the most widely adopted unmanned aerial system on the planet, with more than 19,000 airframes delivered to customers worldwide. Beyond the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command, the platform has found a home in the armed forces of Australia, Estonia, Italy, Denmark, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Canada, where it is designated the CU-173. The Netherlands committed 23.74 million dollars to 72 operational systems for its Army reconnaissance units, Marine Corps, and special forces.
In 2017, Belgium purchased 32 units and Luxembourg 16. The United States also supplied 85 Raven B systems to the Pakistan Army in 2011, provided four to Ugandan and Burundian forces supporting the African Union mission in Somalia, and introduced the platform to the Kenya Army in 2016. Ukraine received Ravens as well, though its operators voiced concerns about the analog control link's vulnerability to jamming by sophisticated adversaries.
Technological Evolution & Sensor Upgrades
The Raven's lineage traces back to the FQM-151, first introduced in 1999, before it was reworked into its current configuration in 2002. Over the following decade and a half, the platform absorbed a steady stream of capability enhancements. In mid-2015, the U.S. Marine Corps fielded tests of Harris Corporation's Small Secure Data Link, a 25-cubic-inch, 18-ounce radio module that snaps onto the nose and extends beyond-line-of-sight communications down to squad level—a role previously reserved for much larger platforms like the RQ-4 Global Hawk.
That same year, selected units received a 360-degree rotating gimbal camera that replaced the earlier fixed sensor, allowing operators to sweep their field of view without maneuvering the airframe and to switch between day and night modes without landing. A Digital Data Link-enabled variant entered production for U.S. forces and allied partners, bringing improved endurance among other refinements. In 2012, the Air Force Research Laboratory demonstrated the Solar Raven, embedding 20-square-centimeter flexible photovoltaic panels into the wing sections and boosting endurance by 60 percent over the standard battery system.
Combat Deployments & Retirement
The Raven has seen action across multiple theaters. Danish soldiers deployed the drone around Forward Operating Base Armadillo in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, a deployment later documented in the 2010 film Armadillo. British forces employed Raven equipment in Iraq, while Dutch operators flew the system over the village of Veen during a civil-military cooperation operation at the turn of 2009-2010, and the Defense department even loaned a Raven to the Almere police in 2012 and 2013 to help combat burglary.
The aircraft also appeared in the 2012 action film Act of Valor, where SEAL operators used it in a tactical scenario. Iran claimed to have captured two Ravens in 2011 and 2012 and stated that much of their data had been decoded. The platform's service life in U.S. hands came to a close in January 2023, when the Marine Corps retired the RQ-11B in favor of the FLIR Systems R80 SkyRaider, a vertical take-off and landing drone judged easier to launch and recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven launched and what is its primary role?
A soldier simply throws the craft by hand, after which a small pusher electric motor drives it forward. Its core mission is short-range, real-time reconnaissance and surveillance for infantry units in the field.
What is the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven's origin story?
The design first appeared in 1999 under the FQM-151 designation and was refined into the RQ-11 Raven configuration by 2002. It was conceived to give ground troops a cheap, portable way to obtain live aerial imagery without a fixed launch site.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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