Saab and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. successfully completed the first flight test of the LoyalEye airborne early warning (AEW) sensor on an unmanned MQ-9B aircraft in Southern California on 19 May.

The project combines Saab’s airborne surveillance expertise with GA-ASI’s unmanned aircraft technology to develop a long-endurance unmanned airborne early warning solution. The system is designed to improve situational awareness, detect and track multiple threats over long distances, and operate beyond line of sight using SATCOM connectivity, while reducing risk to aircrews.