Robot maker · registered
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)
GA-ASI's newest aircraft line centers on autonomy rather than remote piloting: the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft flies with an onboard autonomy core trained across more than five years of flight testing on the company's jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger testbed. The USAF selected GA-ASI in April 2024 to build a production-representative CCA; the YFQ-42A first flew in August 2025 and received a USAF production contract as the FQ-42A in June 2026. The company's Gambit series envisions modular semi-autonomous variants for surveillance, air-to-air and strike roles. Legacy MQ-9 family aircraft remain remotely piloted with increasing automation (auto takeoff/landing, certified flight-critical software to DO-178C/DO-254).
Company overview
Identity and operating footprint
Robot models
Specifications remain vendor-claimed
FQ-42A / YFQ-42A Dark Merlin
- Semi-autonomous uncrewed fighter whose autonomy core was trained across more than five years of flight testing on the MQ-20 Avenger
Collaborative Combat Aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed fighters under an onboard AI autonomy core
Claim source - Moved from contract award to first flight in 15 months; ordered into USAF production in June 2026
Development speed and production status of the FQ-42A CCA
Claim source
MQ-1C Gray Eagle 25M
- Modernized US Army medium-altitude long-endurance UAS variant of the Gray Eagle
Army-operated MALE unmanned aircraft system
Claim source
MQ-20 Avenger
- Jet-powered UAS used for more than five years as GA-ASI's autonomy flight-test platform for CCA autonomy development
Company autonomy testbed on which the YFQ-42A autonomy core was trained
Claim source
MQ-9A Reaper
- Long-endurance armed MALE remotely piloted aircraft operated by the USAF and allied air forces
Medium-altitude long-endurance hunter-killer RPA, successor to the Predator
Claim source
MQ-9B SkyGuardian / SeaGuardian
- Endurance up to 40+ hours, 79 ft (24 m) wingspan, max 4,750 lb (2,155 kg) external payload on nine hardpoints
Manufacturer-stated flight endurance, wingspan and external payload capacity
Claim source - First large unmanned aircraft to receive a UK Military Type Certificate, clearing flight outside restricted airspace
Airworthiness certification of the RAF Protector RG Mk1 (MQ-9B) variant
Claim source
Deployment log
Announced and cited only
Company timeline
Milestones and announcements
Source ledger
8 unique public sources