GA-ASI demos self-protection pod for MQ-9 25 January 2021 by Gareth Jennings General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has flight-demonstrated a new self-protection pod for its MQ-9 range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the company announced on 22 January. An MQ-9 demonstrating a self-protection pod that would be compatible with both the Reaper and Sky/SeaGuardian unmanned aircraft. (GA-ASI) The Self-Protection Pod (SPP) that is compatible with both the MQ-9A Reaper and MQ-9B Sky/SeaGuardian UAVs, was demonstrated at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona on 28 October 2020. During the testing, the MQ-9 was able to successfully track radar and infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air missile threats, deploy countermeasures, and provide real-time threat awareness and protection in a simulated contested environment, GA-ASI said in a statement.