AUSA 2025: New U.S. Gray Eagle STOL drone enables operations from warships and dirt fields.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems revealed its new Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) drone during AUSA 2025 in Washington, D.C. The design enables Army units to deploy the platform from shorter, improvised runways, increasing agility in multi-domain operations.

Washington D.C., United States, October 14, 2025 – At the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2025 exposition in Washington, D.C., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) unveiled the Gray Eagle STOL, a new variant of its long-serving unmanned aircraft system. This updated configuration marks a significant departure from traditional runway-dependent operations, featuring a redesigned wing, enhanced flight control surfaces, and a ruggedized airframe optimized for takeoff and landing in austere environments. GA-ASI stated the development responds directly to the U.S. Army’s demand for distributed, survivable drone operations in contested future battlefields.
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GA-ASI’s Gray Eagle STOL drone unveiled at AUSA 2025, engineered for launch from warships, roads, and remote terrain. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

The Gray Eagle STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) is designed to operate from short, unprepared surfaces as small as 400 feet (122 meters) for ISR missions and approximately 1,000 feet (305 meters) when carrying a full weapons payload. This expands launch and recovery options dramatically, enabling drone operations from forward operating bases, dirt roads, austere airstrips, and large-deck naval vessels—locations previously inaccessible to fixed-wing UAVs. While GA-ASI has not released a specific comparison with the standard Gray Eagle’s takeoff requirements, the STOL variant clearly eliminates the need for established runways.

In terms of performance, Gray Eagle STOL maintains much of the endurance and range of the original MQ-1C, offering an estimated 20 to 25 hours of flight time, depending on payload configuration. Operational range remains in the 2,500 to 3,000 km class. It is capable of reaching altitudes up to 29,000 feet (8,840 meters), but is optimized for persistent ISR and strike support at low-to-mid altitude, closer to maneuvering ground forces. The aircraft supports a maximum takeoff weight of 3,600 pounds (1,633 kilograms) and payloads exceeding 800 pounds (363 kilograms).

The STOL variant supports a wide variety of mission payloads, including electro-optical/infrared sensors, communications relay packages, and precision-guided munitions such as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and GBU-44/B Viper Strike glide bombs. GA-ASI’s published material emphasizes flexibility in loadout and modularity, enabling the aircraft to fulfill roles ranging from ISR to long-range strike and battlefield situational awareness. Specific kinetic configurations showcased at AUSA 2025 highlighted multi-rail weapon integration aligned with legacy Gray Eagle systems.

The aircraft’s internal systems architecture represents a significant advancement. Built on a Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), the Gray Eagle STOL allows for integration of next-generation payloads, communications suites, and electronic warfare modules. GA-ASI confirms the system is compatible with the Army’s push for CMOSS (C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards), supporting future growth in mission roles. The platform also shares avionics, ground control systems, and digital infrastructure with the Gray Eagle 25M, streamlining logistics and reducing training burden.

In terms of survivability, the STOL design introduces operational advantages not seen in traditional fixed-wing drones. The aircraft’s ability to operate from improvised or concealed locations shortens the launch-to-target timeline and complicates enemy targeting. GA-ASI has disclosed that the platform supports GPS-denied navigation, resilient data links, and autonomous landing protocols, making it more survivable in contested electromagnetic environments.

The airframe has undergone extensive redesign to support short-field operations. The STOL variant includes a new high-lift wing, enlarged control surfaces, and extended flaps to enable lower-speed takeoffs and landings. The tail structure has been modified to improve stability during short-field climb-outs. The landing gear is reinforced to absorb impact from rough terrain or metal-deck ship landings, while propulsion has been adjusted for higher low-speed thrust performance, enhancing the aircraft’s field agility without compromising payload.

Gray Eagle STOL draws directly on the Mojave demonstrator program, which tested expeditionary UAV operations in both land and maritime environments. Mojave demonstrated successful short-field launches and landings from dirt strips and, notably, conducted a ship-to-shore flight from the South Korean amphibious vessel ROKS Dokdo in late 2024. Those test results informed the current STOL configuration, particularly in terms of autonomous launch recovery, GPS-denied flight logic, and integration with joint force command structures.

To accelerate international adoption, GA-ASI has signed a production partnership with Hanwha Aerospace in South Korea. The agreement includes joint development, logistics support, and potential licensed manufacturing. Early interest has been reported from regional partners seeking expeditionary UAS platforms able to operate from minimal infrastructure or in distributed island environments. Projections suggest demand could exceed 600 airframes globally over the next decade.

The rollout of the Gray Eagle STOL comes as the U.S. Army reconfigures its unmanned aircraft strategy under the Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) initiative. While vertical takeoff and landing systems such as V-BAT and ALTIUS are receiving attention, the Gray Eagle STOL provides a proven fixed-wing alternative with long endurance and heavy payload capacity, designed to meet immediate operational needs. It is seen as a strong candidate to serve in parallel or as an interim solution while full VTOL systems mature.

In summary, the Gray Eagle STOL represents a major step forward in tactical drone warfare. By delivering runway independence, open-architecture adaptability, and ship-to-shore launch capability, the system redefines what a theater-level UAS can provide to ground commanders. It brings battlefield drones closer to the edge of operations, offering persistent overwatch, strike precision, and multi-mission utility without waiting for ideal basing conditions. For future distributed operations, especially in the Indo-Pacific or contested maritime regions, Gray Eagle STOL could serve as the U.S. Army’s unmanned workhorse for years to come.

Army Recognition will continue its exclusive reporting from AUSA 2025 with technical breakdowns, imagery, and strategic insights into the platforms reshaping future warfare.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.