[logi_cal869]

Ummm...drones are NOT ‘piloted’.

They are remotely operated, aka ‘remotely piloted’.

‘Piloted’ denotes a manned cockpit, and the MQ9 definitely IS also an autonomous drone.

https://www.ga-asi.com/remotely-piloted-aircraft/mq-9a

[Drago]

The US Air Force disagrees:
https://www.airforce.com/careers/aviation-and-flight/remotely-piloted-aircraft-pilot

No mention of an “autonomous mode” for the MQ-9 Reaper:

https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104470/mq-9-reaper/

https://medium.com/@AirPra/the-cutting-edge-details-of-the-general-atomics-mq-9-reaper-uav-2023-9b2ce9795727

Autonomous drones are coming...perhaps you are thinking of the XQ-58A “Valkyrie” or the Air Force “Project Venom”:

https://theaviationist.com/2024/02/16/drones-and-new-technologies-are-reinventing-the-u-s-air-force-and-future-airpower/

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/12/30/new-in-2024-air-force-plans-autonomous-flight-tests-for-drone-wingmen/

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/03/28/us-air-force-plans-self-flying-f-16s-to-test-drone-wingmen-tech/