# Qs about the Predator UAV design

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897 "2005-12-03T13:05:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FlippyFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897/1 "2005-12-03T13:05:45Z")

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Why is the propeller on the back of the predator UAV? What is the advantage to this? Why is the rudder on the bottom of the predator UAV?

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**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897/2 "2005-12-03T13:40:51Z")

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> [@FlippyFly](#):
>
> Why is the propeller on the back of the predator UAV? What is the advantage to this? Why is the rudder on the bottom of the predator UAV?

I’m guessing putting the propeller on the back lets you put all the sensors and such on the front without a spinning prop getting in the way. Not sure about why the rudder is on the bottom, short of defaulting to “because it works better that way”.

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**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897/3 "2005-12-03T21:19:03Z")

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Just about everything you wanted to know about the Predator UAV can be found here:

> **[How the Predator UAV Works](https://science.howstuffworks.com/predator.htm#pt1)**
>
> The Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle exemplifies the military trend toward high-tech, low-risk equipment. This remotely-operated spy plane offers the most bang for the human-safety buck.

As for why the inverted V tail is on the bottom, my guess is maintenance. What little I remember from my days as an aerospace engineering student tells me that there is not much of a difference aerodynamically in having the V-tail along the top or the bottom, except for possibly taking advantage of ground effect. My guess is that by having everything possible that may need to be accessed for maintenance along the bottom, the aircraft can be worked on in the field without the need for a lot of scaffolding, ladders, etc.

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qs-about-the-predator-uav-design/333897/4 "2005-12-03T23:29:16Z")

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[Good intro](http://science.howstuffworks.com/predator.htm). Yes, the prop is in back because it lets the nose get stuffed with sensors and radar dishes and such. The tail angles down instead of up to protect the propellor from ground strikes on takeoff and landing. In flight it works just as well as an angled-up V. If the prop were in front, presumably the tail would point up too, to allow higher pitch angles on takeoff and landing.