General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced that its Type-Certifiable Predator B (TCPB) variant successfully completed its first test flight at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in California on November 17.

The successful flight left GA-ASI’s CEO Linden Blue extremely pleased, and optimistic about future plans for the UAS.

“The first flight of our Certifiable Predator-B aircraft is a major milestone in our progression towards delivering a RPA that meets all NATO airworthiness requirements,” Blue said in a company press release.

“The CPB is the first RPA system of its kind to be compliant with an international type-certification standard, and can therefore be more easily integrated into civil airspace operations around the world.”

Qualification tests for certification of the system will continue over the next two years. GA-ASI plans on completing these tests using three of its own aircraft, along with two airframes made specifically for full-scale fatigue and static testing.

The Predator B, which is fully acquiescent with NATO’s UAV System Airworthiness Requirements and the UK DEFSTAN 00-970, is expected to be delivered to the UK Royal Air Force starting in late 2018.

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