# GA-ASI unmanned aircraft technology developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ga-asi-unmanned-aircraft-technology-developments
> Updated: 2026-10-02T02:00:00.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has conducted successful flight tests for various specialized unmanned aircraft capabilities.

In September 2026, GA-ASI and Hanwha Aerospace completed Mojave Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) battlefield flight tests in South Korea. The medium-altitude, long-endurance uncrewed aircraft demonstrated the ability to land and take off from austere, unimproved runways under simulated combat conditions. GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue stated the demonstration proved the aircraft can manage tactical requirements such as ISR, weapons delivery, and troop resupply in contested environments.

In October 2026, reports detailed a successful test of a new communications payload on the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft. Developed with SoftBank Corp., the Disaster Relief Unit (DRU) is designed to provide mobile network relay capabilities in areas where cellular infrastructure is unavailable due to natural disasters. GA-ASI President David R. Alexander noted the capability is expected to be of significant interest for emergency communications and disaster recovery.

## Claims

- GA-ASI completed a successful flight test of an MQ-9B aircraft equipped with a new communications payload. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- SoftBank Corp. developed the new communications payload. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Disaster Relief Unit (DRU) communications pod provides connectivity in areas lacking cellular service. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The DRU allows the MQ-9B to function as a mobile aerial network relay tower. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The flight test of the integrated pod took place on July 27. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-02: GA-ASI and SoftBank test MQ-9B disaster relief communications system

GA-ASI and SoftBank Corp. successfully tested a new Disaster Relief Unit (DRU) communications pod on an MQ-9B aircraft to provide mobile network relay services in disaster zones.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ga-asi-and-softbank-test-mq-9b-disaster-relief-communications-system

### 2026-09-18: GA-ASI and Hanwha complete Mojave STOL battlefield flight tests

GA-ASI and Hanwha Aerospace successfully demonstrated the Mojave STOL uncrewed aircraft's ability to operate from simulated battlefield environments and austere runways in South Korea.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ga-asi-and-hanwha-complete-mojave-stol-battlefield-flight-tests

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Cite as: GA-ASI unmanned aircraft technology developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ga-asi-unmanned-aircraft-technology-developments