The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems RQ-1L is the unmanned aerial vehicle component of the RQ-1 Predator system. The entire system includes 55 people, ground control stations and satellite communications links.

The CIA and US defense forces began experimenting with reconnaissance drones in the early 1980s, leading to development of the Predator system by General Atomics from January 1994.

The system was successfully tested in April and May 1995, resulting in its deployment in the Balkans in mid 1995.

Since then it has evolved with improved methods of control and deployment and has also seen service in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.

A version armed with two Hellfire missiles, designated the MQ-1L has been deployed since 2001.

As well as the United States, the system has been used by Italy since 2004 and Britain and the Phillippines since 2006.

This model represents a RQ-1L of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron based at Nevada in 2004.

Italeri 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in January 2009.