Textron MQ-19 Aerosonde
The Aerosonde was originally developed as a very long endurance low-cost mini-UAV for meteorological observations in remote areas. Between 1995 in 1998, the UAV was developed in Australia by two Australian companies, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and the Insitu Group from the USA. The U.S. Navy's ONR (Office of Naval Research) was a co-sponsor of the program. In August 1998, an Aerosonde became the first UAV to cross the Atlantic when it covered more than 3200 km (2000 miles) in a non-stop flight of 26 h 45 min. In 1999, two companies were formed to market the UAV, Aerosonde Pty Ltd. in Australia and Aerosonde North America Inc. in the USA.
The Aerosonde can fly completely autonomous missions, including take-off and landing. It is equipped with a GPS waypoint navigation system, and has UHF and SATCOM datalinks for remote control. It has a payload capacity of 5 kg (11 lb), and can be fitted with a variety of sensors like TV or IR cameras, electronic jammers, etc.
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| Photo: © Aerosonde Pty Ltd. |
| Aerosonde |
In 2006, Aerosonde was acquired by AAI Corporation, which in turn become a subsidiary of Textron Inc. in 2007. In 2009, the designation XMQ-19A was allocated to the then current Aerosonde Mk 4.4 version. In 2012, the US SOCOM (Special Operations Command) awarded Textron a contract for the Aerosonde-G variant, a derivative of the Mk 4.7 with a more powerful heavy fuel engine and a ground control system shared with the RQ-7 Shadow system. By 2015, SOCOM and the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command were reportedly flying Aerosondes designated MQ-19 under service provision contracts. The current Mk 4.7 and 4.8 versions of the Aerosonde are significantly larger and heavier than the early versions, and share only the general layout with the original design.
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| Photo: Textron Systems |
| Aerosonde Mk 4.8 |
RQ-10 Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ
The Aerosonde 4.8 HQ (Hybrid Quad) is a VTOL variant with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, where the main engine also provides power to electric motors driving four lift propellers. This version was one of five UAVs entered into the U.S. Army's FTUAS (Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft System) Increment 2 program, and is therefore also known as Aerosonde 4.8 VTOL FTUAS. The FTUAS program is planned to lead to a VTOL UAS, which will eventually replace the RQ-7 Shadow in Army service. In April 2024, it was announced that the Aerosonde 4.8 HQ has been downselected, together with the Griffon Aerospace Valiant, for the next phase of the FTUAS evaluation.
In December 2024, the official designation YRQ-10A was allocated by the Army to the FTUAS prototypes of the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ. The YRQ-10A MDS is a reuse of the Q-10 slot, which had originally been allocated to the CQ-10 SnowGoose.
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| Photo: Courtesy U.S. Army |
| Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ (YRQ-10A) |
The 4.8 HQ has the same general size and layout as the basic Aerosonde Mk 4.8. The twin booms are longer and deeper, mount the lift engines and propellers, and are fitted with ventral fins and struts which serve as a landing gear. The VTOL UAV is heavier than the basic Mk 4.8, and has a payload capacity of up to 23 kg (50 lb). The payload concept is based on a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), where all mission payloads and even the control system can be exchanged with 3rd-party products. Validating MOSA was a major part of the Army's FTUAS testing in 2024. A production award for the winning FTUAS contender is expected for the end of 2025.
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for Aerosonde (1998), Aerosonde Mk 4.7 and Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ:
| Aerosonde (1998) | Aerosonde Mk 4.7 | Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 1.74 m (5.7 ft) | ? | ? |
| Wingspan | 2.87 m (9.4 ft) | 4.40 m (14.45 ft) | ? |
| Weight | 15 kg (33 lb) | Max: 42 kg (93 lb) | Max: 93 kg (205 lb) |
| Speed | 150 km/h (93 mph) | 120 km/h (75 mph) | ? |
| Ceiling | 6100 m (20000 ft) | 4480 m (14700 ft) | > 4600 m (15000 ft) |
| Range | 1850 km (1000 nm) | 140 km (75 nm) | ? |
| Endurance | 30 h | 19.8 h | 14 h |
| Propulsion | Piston engine | HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) | |
Main Sources
[1] Textron Systems Aerosonde Website
[2] "Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap, 2005-2030", Office of the Secretary of Defense, August 2005
[3] Wikipedia: AAI Aerosonde
[4] U.S. Army: US Army takes delivery of Textron Systems' MK 4.8 HQ Aerosonde System
for Future Tactical Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Program, December 2024
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 2
Last Updated: 6 April 2025