Ten Reapers were badly damaged or destroyed in 2015, at least twice as many as in any previous year, according to Air Force safety data.
The Reaper's mishap rate — the number of major crashes per 100,000 hours flown — more than doubled compared with 2014. The aircraft, when fully equipped, cost about $14 million each to replace.
More Air Force drones are crashing than ever as mysterious new problems emerge - The Washington Post
The Reaper has been bedeviled by a rash of sudden electrical failures that have caused the 21/2-ton
drone to lose power and drop from the sky, according to accident-investigation documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Investigators have traced the problem to a faulty starter-generator, but have been unable to pinpoint why it goes haywire or devise a permanent fix.
All told, 20 large Air Force drones were destroyed or sustained at least $2 million in damage in accidents last year, the worst annual toll ever, according to a Washington Post investigation. The Pentagon has shrouded the extent of the problem and kept details of most of the crashes a secret.
Drone Wars UK began compiling details of military drone crashes in 2010. Our database cover crashes of large (Class II and III) military drones since 01 Jan 2007. It has been compiled from USAF
Accident Investigation Board (AIB) Reports, the Wikileaks War Logs, The Washington Post US drone crash database and reports from the general and military press.
Air Force: Depleted batteries, failed generator caused MQ-9 Reaper crash
A previously undisclosed MQ-9 Reaper crash in the Central Command area of responsibility was caused by the armed drone's depleted backup batteries and generator failure, according to an Air Force investigation report released Thursday.
Air Force “Reaper” Drones Keep Mysteriously Crashing | Inverse
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