The MMIST CQ-10A SnowGoose is a cargo delivery unmanned aerial vehicle that has reached IOC (Initial Operational Capability) with the United States Armed Forces with the delivery of 15 vehicles. The SnowGoose UAV is produced by the Canadian company Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology (MMIST). The SnowGoose UAV is an application of MMIST's Sherpa autonomous GPS-guided parafoil delivery system and is intended for pin-point delivery of small cargo items (ammunition, supplies) to special forces. A fully loaded Snowgoose can carry a total of 261kg (575lb).[1] The SnowGoose was originally designed for leaflet dispensing for pychological warfare, but can support a variety of missions with its six modular cargo bays, each of which can carry pods for fuel, supplies, electronics (sensor or broadcasting) packages, and provide aerial surveillance and communications relay.
The CQ-10A uses a parafoil for lift; the CQ-10B uses an autogyro rotor for lift. The "B" version has twice the range of the "A" version. According to the manufacturer, the CQ-10B can carry 1088 kg (2400 lb) up to 150 km (93 mi) from a central base per day (24 h), placing the loads within 30 m (100 ft) of a predesignated point then performing near-vertical take-offs.[2]
It is able to be launched from HMMWVs (or Humvees), but can also be launched from Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Its first flight was in April 2001 and it achieved initial operating capability in April 2005.