As technology has advanced, aerial warfare has as well. One asset being shown off at the Rochester Air Show this weekend is called the MQ-9. It’s the ninth aircraft in the series of remotely piloted aircraft systems.

Spectrum News 1 caught an up-close glimpse at the machine before it left the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse.

“It can do a lot of things," said Morgan, one of the crew chiefs for the MQ-9 Reaper who publicly identified themselves by their first names. "It’s typically for ISR – intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance. It’s usually what it’s used for. It can also control, or have payload, as well, so different weaponry we can put on the racks or the wings.”

The reaper is part of a remotely piloted aircraft system. 

“And specifically, currently, with our automated takeoff and landing capability, has vastly improved the capabilities of this aircraft and getting it to different places around the world," said Master Sergeant Ryan, a MQ-9 sensor operator.

“We’re able to fly the plane via satellite," said Walter, a pilot. "So we have ground-control stations here. The pilot and sensor operator, the sensor operator will control the different systems on the plane, namely the cameras. And we're able to control this aircraft from that ground control station. So we can fly that aircraft pretty much anywhere around the world.”

The MQ-9 was flown in for the Rochester Air show this weekend by a crew in Niagara Falls. It can complete different missions and tasks, such as close air support, combat search rescue, precision strike and terminal air guidance. As technology evolves, so will the people who use them. 

“The operators and pilots that were allowed to take off and land the plane, there were very specific people," Walter said. "And now, it's going to be basically, you know, every pilot and sensor will be trained with the new technology we have with the automated takeoff and landing systems.”

The MQ-9 has advanced sensors for targeting, including a laser designator, monochrome daylight TV camera and laser illuminator. It can also take on extended range operations with the addition of external fuel tanks. 

“The big thing with the MQ-9, it can stay in the air for a long period of time," he said. "And we've got the cameras and other systems that we can use to find stuff and we can, for lack of a better term, loiter for a long period of time.”