Is it possible to buy a predator drone from General Atomics for hobby use?

[Hugo Drax]

Obviously one that does not carry munitions. Its no different that a Phantom 4, just much bigger and more capable.

My PPL should be good to go for flying one right? Its not a multiengine aircraft. And its hobby for fun flying not commercial.

How would you go about it? Just call them up and say you are interested in buying one for hobby purpose? As long as you have the cash why would they care, as long as I fill out the ITAR paperwork I should be good to go.

Also taking off question, I should have no problem taking it to a local uncontrolled airport and just announce on CTAF my intentions and good to go right? Do I have to register my hobby predator and have a tail number, all that jazz?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Drone regulations limit the weight of drones that you are allowed to fly, these would be heavier most likely. I think limit like 35kg or something, but I don't recall for sure.

Would be pretty cool though... I wish they would not have regulated drone to oblivion, and instead just deal with idiots on a case per case basis. The hobby has a lot of potential but it's pretty much regulated to the point where it can't really grow.

 

[Kaido]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Lar...FPV-fiberglass-fuselage-only/32599898940.html

 

[bbhaag]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Lar...FPV-fiberglass-fuselage-only/32599898940.html

Dang that's pretty cool. It's just the fuselage though and smaller in scale compared to the real thing.

To answer the OPs question. No you cannot "Just call General Atomics up and say you are interested in buying one for hobby purposes?".
My guess is you would have to be a DOD contractor with certain clearances just to gain access to see one. To actually purchase one would be impossible for the regular Joe.

 

[Kaido]

To answer the OPs question. No you cannot "Just call General Atomics up and say you are interested in buying one for hobby purpose?".

Sure you can. You just get put on a list tho. And I'm not talking about a waiting list

 

[Kaido]

Dang that's pretty cool. It's just the fuselage though and smaller in scale compared to the real thing.

Nitro R/C used to make a little one for like eighty bucks that looked pretty good. I dunno if everyone hit copyright infringement issues or if the interest just died down over time, but there's not too many kits or RTF's floating around these days. Of course, quad-copters are all the rage now, and the latest ones are pretty bananas. A thousand bucks gets you quite in the insane setup:

https://www.dji.com/mavic

 

[Red Squirrel]

There's probably tons of IP and NDA stuff involved with those things too. Like everything from aerodynamics etc so even just the chassis is probably off limits to the average joe.

I imagine if someone built one and tried to get it as close as possible to the real thing based on internet pictures it would probably be fine. Those internet pictures were never taken down in first place because they probably don't show enough detail to worry them.

I actually want to get into building drones and such, but the regulations are too strict. There's technically not really any legal places to fly them. I fly my DJI around anyway, but if I was to build one and it failed I would get in huge trouble. Think the fine is 25k for breaking the rules.

 

[paperfist]

Get a 3D printer and make your own.

 

[bbhaag]

Sure you can. You just get put on a list tho. And I'm not talking about a waiting list

Haha I know right. I can see the OP calling the 800 number for General Atomics and trying to put in a request for a MQ-1 Predator for "hobby purposes". He would get laughed right off the line then put on "the list".haha

 

[WelshBloke]

They are 4m long and cost 4million dollars!

 

[luv2liv]

i suppose if you are rich enough, you could.
remember that time Arnold S got his hummer and tank?

 

[Jon-T]

Obviously one that does not carry munitions. Its no different that a Phantom 4, just much bigger and more capable.

One is a plane the other is a quadcopter.

Go to newsstand...Buy R/C magazine.

 

[IronWing]

Depending on where you live, you could just wait for one to show up, pennies from heaven.

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/02/09/missing-army-drone-from-arizona-likely-found-in-colorado/

 

[dave_the_nerd]

http://www.skymasterjet.com/index2.htm

 

[Red Squirrel]

Depending on where you live, you could just wait for one to show up, pennies from heaven.

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2017/02/09/missing-army-drone-from-arizona-likely-found-in-colorado/

Imagine if that was a hobby drone, the government would be going batshit crazy saying how they need to be banned and they'd be trying to find the owner so he can be charged etc. Heck with the drone rules you're not even allowed to do FPV flying and have to be line of sight.

 

[SKORPI0]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Lar...FPV-fiberglass-fuselage-only/32599898940.html

Here's one for $ 30.42.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Not to mention, you need an end user certificate that private citizens are ineligible for.

 

[Midwayman]

A quick google really suggests only decommissioned aircraft are available. If you want something relatively modern you have to go with ex-soviet aircraft.

 

[IronWing]

The Predator is being decommissioned so maybe.