Buying guide

MQ-9 Reaper vs HX-2 (and HF-1) in 2026

Comparing 2 humanoid robots across availability, pricing, capabilities, and verified deployments. Current as of 2026.

Key differences

HX-2 (and HF-1) has the lower recorded price.
MQ-9 Reaper has more verified real-world deployments (4 vs 2).

Attribute	MQ-9 Reaper View full model page →	HX-2 (and HF-1)View full model page →
Manufacturer	General Atomics Aeronautical Systems	Helsing
Form factor	aerial	aerial
Maturity	production	production
Autonomy	—	—
Availability	internal-onlyenterprise	internal-onlyenterprise
Price	$20,000,000-$32,000,000 (actual sale price)	$18,000 (analyst estimate)
Capability claims	—	—
Brain	—	—
Verified deployments	4	2Helsing, Helsing
Privacy practices	—	—
Sources on file	12	7

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MQ-9 Reaper

HX-2 (and HF-1)

Editorial summaries

MQ-9 Reaper

The MQ-9 Reaper, from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is the canonical legacy-prime medium-altitude long-endurance drone and the AI-augmented-not-autonomous contrast to the new-defense AI-first triangle. The MQ-9A (first flight 2001, in service since May 2007) is a remotely-piloted aircraft flown by a crew of three (pilot, sensor operator, mission intelligence coordinator) from a ground control station, with about 30 hours of ISR or 23 hours of armed endurance, a 3,800-pound payload, and AGM-114 Hellfire and GBU-12/38 munitions; the MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian adds 40-plus hours and civil-airspace integration (the UK operates it as Protector RG Mk1).

It is fielded across the US DoD and allied air forces; the MQ-9A line closed production in 2025 while the MQ-9B is in production. Its AI is augmentation, not autonomy: sensor fusion, ISR processing, and targeting assistance run while a human crew flies the aircraft and makes mission decisions. It is defense procurement equipment; there is no consumer price.

HX-2 (and HF-1)

Helsing's HX-2 is an electric X-wing precision-strike munition (about 100 kilometers range, 250 kilometers per hour, up to 5 kilograms payload) with onboard AI for electronic-warfare resistance, built at the company's southern-Germany Resilience Factory at a stated capacity above 1,000 per month; the related HF-1 is a plywood-fuselage AI loitering munition with GPS-independent navigation made with Ukrainian industry. Helsing, founded in Munich in March 2021 and chaired by Spotify's Daniel Ek, reached a roughly 12-billion-euro valuation in a June 2025 Series D.

DEPLOY records the drone line at production maturity on a verified fielding anchor: a German-underwritten 4,000-unit HF-1 order with 1,950 units delivered to Ukraine. The larger 6,000-unit HX-2 order announced in February 2025 is ordered, not yet verified-delivered, and DEPLOY holds that distinction rather than counting it as fielded. It is defense procurement; there is no consumer price.

Common questions

How do MQ-9 Reaper and HX-2 (and HF-1) differ?

On DEPLOY's record, MQ-9 Reaper has more verified real-world deployments (4 versus 2) than HX-2 (and HF-1) as of 2026; DEPLOY counts a deployment only when confirmed at a named site with a primary source. HX-2 (and HF-1) has the lower recorded price. MQ-9 Reaper has more verified real-world deployments (4 vs 2).

What is the difference between MQ-9 Reaper and HX-2 (and HF-1)?

MQ-9 Reaper and HX-2 (and HF-1) are both aerial robots on the DEPLOY registry. They differ in maker, maturity, price, verified deployments, and how much of their autonomy is independently verified. See the table above for the full head-to-head; each figure is sourced.

Which is cheaper, MQ-9 Reaper or HX-2 (and HF-1)?

HX-2 (and HF-1) has the lower recorded price on the DEPLOY registry than MQ-9 Reaper. Prices are sourced; see each record for whether the figure is a manufacturer target, an estimate, or an actual sale price.

Which has more verified deployments, MQ-9 Reaper or HX-2 (and HF-1)?

MQ-9 Reaper has more verified deployments (4) on the DEPLOY registry than HX-2 (and HF-1) (2). DEPLOY counts a deployment only when confirmed at a named site with a primary source.

Recent coverage

Wildfire Is General Atomics’ Successor To The MQ-9 ReaperMQ-9 Reaper · The War Zone · 2026-08-20
U.S. Air Force plans cheaper MQ-9 Reaper successor after Iran combat use, targeting 2031 fielding and massed drone operationsMQ-9 Reaper · Defence Industry Europe · 2026-08-17

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All dronesRegistry Every verified record in the category.MQ-9 ReaperModel The full model page.HX-2 (and HF-1)Model The full model page.General Atomics Aeronautical SystemsRecord The maker's verified record.HelsingRecord The maker's verified record.AeroVironment Switchblade (300/600) vs MQ-9 ReaperCompare Another head-to-head.

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