The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has finally admitted, following an FoI appeal, that an RAF Reaper drone which crash landed at an undisclosed location in December 2021 has actually been written off. This was the sixth crash of a UK Reaper drone and the fifth to have been destroyed. The RAF now operates nine Reaper drones. Separately, 8 Watchkeeper drones, operated by the British Army have also crashed. This latest news comes as the RAF plans to begin regular flights of its new US MQ-9 SkyGuardian – renamed as ‘Protector’ by the UK – over the UK.
In keeping with its ongoing secrecy around the use of its armed drones, 18 months after the December 2021 crash, the MoD told Drone Wars in June 2023 that the drone “was still awaiting repair.” When we asked for an update in February 2024, we were refused the information with MoD stating that providing such information “would place an unnecessary burden” ahead of releasing the information in its annual report. We appealed this stonewalling and contacted the Information Commissioner. Subsequently the MoD have released the information.
The December 2021 crash is the sixth ‘mishap’ that has occurred to the UK’s armed Reaper UAV fleet since the system came into service in 2008. At least 24 large (Class II and III) military drones operated by UK armed forces have crashed in the last 15 years. The December 2021 accident came less than a month after a newly purchased Reaper came into service with the intention of bringing the UK’s fleet back up to its full strength of ten.
While the MoD is refusing to disclose the location of the accident, unless it was an improvised or emergency landing. it is likely to have been at the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait where the UK’s Reapers are believed to be based.
The MoD stated that the accident was caused by the “failure of the nose wheel steering on landing.”
Crashes of large UK military drones
| Date | Type | Tail No. | Where | Source | Status |
| Nov 10, 2022 | Watchkeeper | N/A | New Mexico, US | Press | Destroyed |
| May 29, 2022 | Watchkeeper | N/A | Off Cyprus | Press | Destroyed |
| Dec 1, 2021 | MQ-9 Reaper | ZZ209 | Undisclosed | FoI | Unknown |
| Oct 14, 2020 | Watchkeeper | WK044 | Cyprus | Press | Unknown |
| Sep 28, 2019 | Zephyr | Z8B-03 | Australia | Press | Destroyed |
| Mar 15, 2019 | Zephyr | N/A | Australia | Press | Destroyed |
| Jun 13, 2018 | Watchkeeper | N/A | Aberporth | Press | Destroyed |
| Mar 24, 2017 | Watchkeeper | N/A | Irish Sea | Press | Destroyed |
| Feb 3, 2017 | Watchkeeper | N/A | Irish Sea | Press | Destroyed |
| Aug 16, 2016 | MQ-9 Reaper | ZZ205 | Undisclosed | FoI | Repaired |
| Oct 17, 2015 | MQ-Reaper | ZZ201 | Undisclosed | FoI | Withdrawn from service |
| Nov 2, 2015 | Watchkeeper | WK006 | Salisbury | Press | Destroyed |
| Oct 16, 2014 | Watchkeeper | WH031 | Aberporth | FoI | Withdrawn in Jan 2015 |
| Oct 4, 2013 | Hermes 450 | ZK517 | Afghanistan | FoI | Retired in 2014 |
| Sep 5, 2013 | Hermes 450 | ZK518 | Afghanistan | FoI | Retired in 2014 |
| July 22, 2012 | Hermes 450 | ZK506 | Afghanistan | FoI | Destroyed |
| Mar 31, 2012 | MQ-9 Reaper | ZZ203 | Afghanistan | FoI | Repaired |
| Oct 2, 2011 | Hermes 450 | Zk515 | Afghanistan | FoI | Destroyed |
| Jun 3, 2010 | Hermes 450 | ZK512 | Afghanistan | FoI | Destroyed |
| May 21, 2010 | Hermes 450 | ZK516 | Afghanistan | FoI | Destroyed |
| May 2, 2010 | MQ-9 Reaper | ZZ202 | Afghanistan | FoI | Repaired |
| Jun 2 2009 | Hermes 450 | ZK513 | Afghanistan | FoI | Destroyed |
| Apr 09, 2008 | MQ-9 Reaper | N/A | Afghanistan | Press | Destroyed |
| Jan 13, 2008 | Hermes 450 | N/A | Iraq | Wikileaks | ‘Major damage’ |
Safe for UK flights?
As we have written recently, the RAF undertook a short series of ‘time critical proving flights‘ of its new ‘Protector’ drone over RAF Waddington in October 2023, and a longer programme of test and training flights were due to begin in early 2024. These have clearly been delayed. From the data on drone crashes, we can see that a significant amount of problems arise in the take-off and landing phase. RAF Waddington, from where these test and training flights will be conducted, is surrounded by homes, shops, businesses and a school. A number of locals expressed great concern about this in response to a CAA consultation exercise.
RAF Waddington, Lincoln. Flights of UK’s MALE ‘Protector’ drone due to begin soon.
Meanwhile, the US Air Force has applied to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly Global Hawk and/or Reaper drones from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. This will mean that these large drones will undertake remotely controlled sorties through one of the busiest air corridors in the UK.
The government asserts that there is an economic and security case for opening up UK skies to MALE drones. The CAA as airspace regulator argues that it is bound to abide by government policy. The number of crashes and accidents of these systems should, however, give real pause for thought.