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Operational Cost Model  ·  Ravionics / USG

COST PER SQUARE MILE OF COVERAGE

The Metric That Changes the Conversation

Hourly cost alone does not tell the story. Adjust the variables below. All numbers update in real time. Every assumption is sourced and transparent.

Transparency: MQ-9 cost ($12,000/hr) sourced from DHS OIG and CBO. Anduril figures derived from public contract data. Ravionics cost per hour, patrol speed, swath, and crew assumptions are planning variables only. The full-scale platform has not been built. All Ravionics figures require prototype validation. This model is a strategic planning tool, not a procurement claim or cost guarantee.
Adjust the Variables
All outputs update in real time
Cost per flight hour (assumed)
$3,000
$500 optimistic$8,000 conservative
Units deployed
1 unit
1 unit10 units
Sorties per month (per unit)
15 / mo
1/mo30/mo
Cruise patrol speed (mph)
60 mph
40 mph120 mph design
Sensor swath width (miles)
2.0 mi
0.5 mi5 mi
Fully-loaded labor cost / person / yr
$100K
$60K$180K (cleared operator)
Autonomy level  ·  determines crew per aircraft and regulatory pathway
6 crew / aircraft
Live Results: Your Configuration
Total fleet coverage / 24 hrs
2,880
sq mi per day
Cost per sq mi (flight only)
$25
vs. MQ-9 at $1,440
Total monthly mission cost
$1.1M
flight + crew (all units)
Coverage advantage vs. MQ-9
58x
more sq mi per dollar
MQ-9 Predator B (CBP) $1,440 / sq mi  ·  $288,000 / sortie
Fixed baseline. $12,000/hr all-in. ~200 sq mi corridor per 24-hr sortie. Runway required. Crew of 5–8. Source: DHS OIG / CBO.
Anduril AST (annualized estimate) ~$77–$193 / sq mi / day
Fixed 7.1 sq mi per tower. Low daily operating cost. Cannot reposition. 300 towers = 30% of southern border. Source: Anduril contract data, public.
Ravionics Fleet (your configuration) $25 / sq mi
Based on current slider settings. Cost model to be validated at prototype stage.
Ravionics Fleet
1 Unit  ·  Semi-Autonomous
Cost per flight hour$3,000
24-hr flight cost (per unit)$72,000
Coverage per unit / 24 hrs2,880 sq mi
Total fleet coverage / day2,880 sq mi
Crew per aircraft4 people
Annual crew cost (per unit)$400,000
Monthly flight cost (fleet)$1,080,000
Monthly crew cost (fleet)$33,333
Total monthly cost (fleet)$1,113,333
Cost per sq mi (flight only)$25.00
MQ-9 Predator B
CBP Large UAS  ·  Fixed Baseline
Cost per flight hour (all-in)$12,000
24-hr mission cost$288,000
Coverage per sortie~200 sq mi
Cost per sq mi$1,440
Runway requiredYes
Ground crew5–8 people
Monthly cost (15 sorties)$4,320,000
Aircraft in CBP inventory9 total
Coverage advantage—
Cost advantage vs. Ravionics$1,440 vs. $25/sq mi
Anduril AST Tower
Fixed Node  ·  Annualized Estimate
Est. capital cost per tower$200K–$500K
Est. annualized cost / day~$550–$1,370
Coverage per tower7.1 sq mi (fixed)
Est. cost per sq mi / day$77–$193
MobileNo
Terrain flexibleLimited
Towers deployed (CBP)300+
Border coverage~30%
Aerostat replacementPartial
NoteComplementary to Ravionics. Not a direct competitor.
Semi-Autonomous mode (formally verified geo-containment system active): AI handles navigation and geo-containment. One operator monitors 2 aircraft simultaneously. Crew reduced from 6 to 4 per aircraft. Requires BVLOS waiver. formally verified geo-containment system's formally verified boundary enforcement provides the FAA compliance foundation for that application.
The Bottom Line at This Configuration
Coverage advantage vs. MQ-9
58x
more sq mi per dollar
Monthly saving vs. MQ-9 (same sorties)
$3.2M
per month (flight cost only)
Total fleet coverage / month
43,200
sq mi per month
Annual crew cost (full fleet)
$400K
fully loaded labor
1 unit at $3,000/hr covers 2,880 sq mi per day for $72,000. The MQ-9 covers ~200 sq mi for $288,000.
Model Assumptions and Sources
AssumptionValueBasisConfidence
MQ-9 all-in cost / hr $12,000 DHS Inspector General; CBO. Includes pilots, crew, maintenance, overhead. High. Multiple federal audits.
MQ-9 coverage per 24-hr sortie ~200 sq mi CBP operational reporting; DHS OIG 2015 audit. High. OIG confirmed.
Ravionics cruise speed range 40–120 mph Design specification for a hybrid diesel-electric tilt-wing VTOL platform of this class. Conservative range used here. Moderate. Design spec, not demonstrated at full scale.
Sensor swath width range 0.5–5 mi Comparable ISR UAS platforms (ScanEagle, Shadow). Actual swath depends on payload, altitude, and optics. Moderate. Payload-dependent.
Crew per aircraft. Manual ops 6 people (2 shifts) 1 pilot + 1 payload operator per shift. 1 crew chief. Based on ScanEagle and Shadow RQ-7 operational models. Moderate. Subject to FAA/DoD requirements.
Crew per aircraft. Semi-autonomous 4 people (2 shifts) formally verified geo-containment system handles geo-containment. 1 operator monitors 2 aircraft. Crew chief shared. Requires BVLOS waiver. Low-Moderate. Regulatory approval required.
Crew per aircraft. Full autonomous 3 people (2 shifts) formally verified geo-containment system + real-time compliance auditing system. 1 operator manages up to 4 aircraft. Program maturity milestone. Not current state. Low. Future milestone. Requires FAA approval and proven AI stack.
Fully-loaded labor cost / person $60K–$180K / yr GS-12 to GS-14 equivalent for cleared UAS operators. Private sector range for experienced ISR crew. Moderate. Market-rate range.
Ravionics cost per flight hour User-adjustable No validated figure. Full-scale platform not yet built. Planning assumption only. None. Prototype validation required.
Sources: DHS OIG (2015), U.S. Congressional Budget Office, CBP statistics FY2025, Anduril press releases (2024),
Strategic planning tool only. Not a procurement claim.
RAVIONICS Persistence. Anywhere.