Editing General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (section)

===Deployment methodology===
[[File:MQ-1 Predator controls 2007-08-07.jpg|thumb|Predator operators at Balad Camp Anaconda, Iraq, August 2007]]

Each Predator air vehicle can be disassembled into six modules and loaded into a container. This enables all system components and support equipment to be rapidly deployed worldwide. The largest component is the ground control station (GCS) which is designed to roll into a [[C-130 Hercules]]. The Predator primary satellite link consists of a 6.1-meter (20-ft) satellite dish with associated support equipment. The satellite link provides communications between the GCS and the aircraft when it is beyond line-of-sight and links to networks that disseminate secondary intelligence. The RQ-1A system can operate on a 5,000 by 75 foot (1,524 meters by 23 meters) of hard surface runway with clear line-of-sight to each end from the GCS to the air vehicles. Initially, all components needed to be located on the same airfield.<ref name=":1" />

The U.S. Air Force used a concept called "Remote-Split Operations" where the satellite datalink is placed in a different location and is connected to the GCS through fiber optic cabling. This allows Predators to be launched and recovered by a small "Launch and Recovery Element" and then handed off to a "Mission Control Element" for the rest of the flight. This allows a smaller number of troops to be deployed to a forward location, and consolidates control of the different flights in one location.<ref name=":1" />

The improvements in the MQ-1B production version include an ARC-210 radio, an APX-100 IFF/SIF with mode 4, a glycol-weeping "wet wings" de-icing system, upgraded turbo-charged engine, fuel injection, longer wings, dual alternators as well as other improvements.<ref name=":1" />

On 18 May 2006, the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) issued a certificate of authorization which will allow the M/RQ-1 and [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|M/RQ-9]] aircraft to be used within U.S. civilian airspace to search for survivors of disasters. Requests had been made in 2005 for the aircraft to be used in [[search and rescue]] operations following [[Hurricane Katrina]], but because there was no FAA authorization in place at the time, the assets were not used. The Predator's [[infrared camera]] with digitally enhanced zoom has the capability of identifying the [[infrared signature]] of a human body from an altitude of 3&nbsp;km (10,000&nbsp;ft), making the aircraft an ideal search and rescue tool.<ref name="www2006" />

The longest declassified Predator flight {{asof|2011|lc=yes}} lasted for 40&nbsp;hours and 5&nbsp;minutes.{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} The total flight time reached 1 million hours in April 2010, according to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.<ref name="Predator-series UAVs surpass one million flight hours" />