io9: robot-plane

The Terrifying Beauty Of A Combat Vehicle That Thinks, Plans, And May One Day Harbor Dark Desires

Charlie Jane Anders — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:40:06 PDT

Try not to drool on this prototype of the X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System, on display yesterday at Naval Air Station Pax River. Designed for autonomous launch and recovery, it's sleek, shiny and menacing. (Click to enlarge.) [Getty Images]

Robot Planes Target Smithsonian

Ed Grabianowski — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:00:00 PDT

A squadron of six robot planes are now perpetually buzzing visitors to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, performing "reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition," and possibly even attacks. Or at least, they would be if they weren't part of the new exhibit celebrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This is one of the most cutting-edge displays you can see at the Smithsonian - some of the planes even have certain parts sealed because they are still classified.

All six planes were developed for the U.S. military, and some of them flew major recon and combat missions in the Middle East.

Lockheed Martin/Boeing DarkStar, a stealthy recon plane.
AeroVironment RQ-14A Dragon Eye, a hand-launched camera plane.
RQ-2A Pioneer, a recon plane that a number of Iraqi soldiers surrendered to in the first Gulf War, the first time anyone ever surrendered to a robot.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. MQ-1L Predator A, a recon plane that has fired missiles in combat situations.
AAI Corporation Shadow 200, another recon plane. The plane on exhibit is called the Screamin Demon and flew missions in Iraq until 2005.
Boeing X-45A Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS), one of two scaled down flight test models. This plane is the first built with the intent of using it in a combat role.

Images by: Smithsonian Air and Space and U.S. Air Force.
Exhibitions On View: Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). [Smithsonian]

Global Hawk Sets Robot-Plane Endurance Record

Ed Grabianowski — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:20:00 PDT

An RQ-4 Global Hawk broke the world record for unrefueled flight endurance by a full-scale uncrewed aircraft in a test at Edwards Air Force Base last week, staying aloft for 33.1 hours at altitudes approaching 60,000 feet. The Northrop-Grumman built plane costs $28 million each - there are currently three of them in action both in the U.S. and in the Middle East. The previous record was held by an earlier variant of the Global Hawk.

The Global Hawk fills a role similar to the Cold War classic U2 spy plane, providing surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance at a flight ceiling of 65,000 feet. It doesn't put pilots at risk the way the U2 did, though. It's controlled by ground crews that hang out in two separate bunkers far from the action. At more than 40 feet long, with a 116-foot wingspan, the Global Hawk is one impressive bird. Don't think Sarah Connor hasn't noticed. Photo credit: U.S. Air Force.

Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Sets 33-Hour Flight Endurance Record [Space War]