United States Ready To Deploy The Next Generation Of Unmanned Aerial Drone Aircraft. (power, advance)

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

One of these new Unmanned Aerial Drones(UAV's) is mentioned in another thread and is the Phantom Ray Drone; so I leave the discussion of that drone to that thread.

The previous generation of UAV's was propeller driven with limited loitering capability. This new generation is equipped with jet engines(except Global Observer) and capable of much longer flight duration along with the ability to cruise at significantly higher altitude.

First is the just flight tested Global Observer with a wingspan approaching the length of a Boeing 747. It is capable of flying for days at 65,000 feet well into the stratosphere and out of range of all but the most sophisticated antiaircraft missile systems.

It is nearly as capable as most military satellites but easier to launch/manuever etc....it can scan over 250,000 square miles at a clip. Also it will be one of the first planes to use hydrogen as fuel and will be able to relay military communications between different units.

Unmanned aerial vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AeroVironment's Global Observer spy plane completes test flight - latimes.com

US tests Global Observer, a more stealthy

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - U.S. Develops New Reconnaissance Drones



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad4-3YGp0ak



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hWaoRhCrCM


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRGdywvx8zg

The second drone is the X-47B by Northrop Grumman which will be capable of carrying weapons, such as laser guided bombs(unlike the first drone), will be jet powered and it can be launched from an aircraft carrier; vastly increasing it's usefulness and it will be capable of evading enemy radar systems.

X-47B - First Navy Stealth UAV Ready

X-47B Armed Drone – Sky filling wi armed pilotless craft « zerohostel

Killer Drones - X-47B ManHunter is Packed With Advanced Weapons (Oh My!) (GALLERY)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osDn47Aj9Q4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbbMMAThTiY


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyfjCgTUpq0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-K4pk25zD4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBrVRTVNph0

[plwhit]

First place they need to use these drones is on the US/Mexican border....

[Gue]

Glad to see they are using a different fuel..

[Brian.Pearson]

Originally Posted by plwhit

First place they need to use these drones is on the US/Mexican border....

It would at least be a good place to train pilots.

[kingdomcome1]

Excellent!

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by Gue

Glad to see they are using a different fuel..

I think they are using Fuel Cells but it's difficult to find technical specifications about the new drones.

Fuel cell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_powered_aircraft

[Gue]

Thanks~I love your links to the information!

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by Gue

Thanks~I love your links to the information!

THANX Gue......I appreciate the positive feedback.

[GregW]

Bringing this thread forward.

Have you seen the minature drones available to you, me and law enforcment for less then a few hundred dollars?

[Tek_Freek]

Yeah, low level airspace is going to get very crowded...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKYayBrQGeA