Advanced UAV in Call of Duty: What It Shows and Where It Exists
The Advanced UAV is the higher tier of the radar killstreak. A normal UAV marks enemy positions as red dots on the minimap. The Advanced UAV updates those positions in real time and shows which way each enemy is facing. Its in-game text in Modern Warfare 4 reads: an orbital UAV that reveals the enemy's direction on the minimap in real time and is immune to lock-on.
Where it exists
| Game | Type | Cost and unlock | Source type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern Warfare 3 (2011) | Pointstreak (Support package) | 12 points; early builds called it "Directional UAV" | Community wiki |
| Modern Warfare (2019) | Killstreak | 12 kills, level 48 | Community wiki |
| Modern Warfare II and III | Killstreak and scorestreak | 12 kills | Community wiki |
| Modern Warfare 4 (2026) | Killstreak | Level 40; listed at 10 kills on 19 October, before the launch tuning | Activision blog and launch notes |
| Black Ops 7 multiplayer | Not listed | n/a | Absent from the wiki list |
| Warzone, Black Ops 7 era | Buy Station item | $40,000 at Buy Stations from 10 March 2026; $25,000 on the Fortune's Keep Black Market from 3 June 2026 | Season 02 Reloaded and Season 04 notes |
The 10-kill figure for Modern Warfare 4 comes from Activision's 19 October 2026 loadout blog. The launch notes of 23 October say the beta's increase of one kill on every streak stays at launch (the UAV is 5 kills, while the blog lists 4), so expect 11 kills, or 10 with Hardline, and read the real cost on the class screen. The $25,000 price comes from Raven Software's 3 June 2026 Season 04 notes, where the Advanced UAV is among the items the Black Market Buy Station sells on Fortune's Keep. The Black Market is reached with a Shadowlink satellite phone from a Recon Contract, which was added to Fortune's Keep in that update.
What changed from the UAV
- Real time, not sweeps. A standard UAV refreshes positions in pulses, while the Advanced UAV keeps them current.
- Direction. Enemies show as arrows instead of dots, so you can see if they are looking at your approach path.
- Lock-on immunity. In Modern Warfare 4 the in-game text says it cannot be locked on to. The Modern Warfare (2019) page notes it could still be destroyed by an unguided rocket during its fly-over.
Ghost, Cold-Blooded and the Advanced UAV
In Modern Warfare (2019), the Ghost perk still hid a player from the normal UAV, but under an Advanced UAV that player showed as a red dot instead of an arrow, and killstreaks could target players with Cold-Blooded while the Advanced UAV was active, according to the community wiki. Those rules belong to that game. For Modern Warfare 4, no official source in the launch notes describes the interaction, so check the in-game perk text. The related perk pages are Ghost and Cold-Blooded.
Stacking UAVs into an Advanced UAV
Warzone has long turned several UAVs into an Advanced UAV effect. The community wiki records three UAVs from one team in quick succession (solos included) for the Modern Warfare (2019) and Warzone 2.0 eras. In the Black Ops 7 era Raven kept the mechanic but raised it to four combined UAVs on 4 February 2026, saying UAVs were called far more often than other killstreaks, and on 10 March 2026 it added the Advanced UAV to Buy Stations as a direct route. The Modern Warfare 4 Warzone beta notes of 30 August 2026 changed UAVs so that several no longer combine into an Advanced UAV. Whether that rule carries into Warzone Season 1 on 6 November 2026 had not been published on 2 November, so check before saving UAVs for a stack.
When to use it
- Hold an objective. Direction arrows tell you which flank an enemy team is about to take.
- Timing a push. An enemy facing away is a free approach, which is the main reason to prefer it over a UAV on small maps.
- Pair with a loud play. Radar tells you where enemies are; it does not stop them from shooting you.
- Know the price. In the Black Market list shown in the patch notes the Advanced UAV is the most expensive item, so it pays off on squads that will play the next circle around it.
Related terms
- UAV: the basic radar streak.
- Precision Airstrike: a streak that benefits from radar.
- Warzone, DMZ and contracts glossary: perks and streaks that give information.
- Call of Duty wiki: all Call of Duty terms.
FAQ
What is the difference between a UAV and an Advanced UAV?
The UAV shows enemy dots in sweeps. The Advanced UAV shows live positions and facing arrows, and Modern Warfare 4 lists it as immune to lock-on.
How many kills does the Advanced UAV need in Modern Warfare 4?
Activision's loadout blog lists 10 kills and level 40, but the launch notes keep the beta's one-kill increase on every streak, which points to 11 kills (10 with Hardline). Check the loadout screen for the final number.
Can you buy an Advanced UAV in Warzone?
Yes. Raven added it to Buy Stations for $40,000 on 10 March 2026, and from 3 June 2026 it was also a $25,000 Black Market item on Fortune's Keep.
Does Ghost hide you from the Advanced UAV?
In Modern Warfare (2019) it only changed the arrow into a dot. The current Modern Warfare 4 behaviour is not documented in the launch notes.
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