The high-altitude Global Hawk was one of the next-generation tools the U.S. military deployed after 9/11.
The drone, which is one of several manufactured by Northrop Grumman (NOC), can spy on enemies from more than 60,000 feet above the earth.
Northrop also makes the Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter that can take off and land on warships, provide surveillance and aerial fire support.
Both of these drones contribute to Northrop Grumman's $10 billion in annual aerospace systems revenue, which makes up about one-third of the defense contractor's total sales.
Northrop doesn't reveal how much revenue it generates specifically from drones, but the company blamed shrinking second-quarter revenue in part on lower Global Hawk and Fire Scout shipments.
