Friday, February 11, 2011

The X-47B UCAS-D drone takes off on its maiden flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California on February 4, 2011.
Northrop Grumman / U.S. Navy

PHOTOS OF THE DAY... A week ago, a military drone known as the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) aircraft took off on its historic first flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California. If all goes well, the X-47B will eventually become the precursor to actual drones that the U.S. Navy hopes will deploy from aircraft carriers in the not-too-distant future. Carrier sea trials for UCAS-D are scheduled for 2013.

Two quick notes about the X-47B and the picture above: 1.) This drone was featured in last year’s sci-fi movie Skyline (bet you wanted to know that), and 2.) Do those houses in the image above belong to Edwards AFB personnel? Or are civilians living that close to this airbase? Pretty awesome if it’s the latter.

The X-47B UCAS-D drone flies above Edwards Air Force Base in California on February 4, 2011.
Northrop Grumman / U.S. Navy

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