This video gives a great overview of the Northrop Grumman X-47B project and the quest to design and build an autonomous unmanned aircraft that can operate off of Navy aircraft carriers. Regardless of how you feel about the move to take the pilot out of the airplane, the accomplishments thus far are pretty stunning. You get a good feel for that in the video. Keep in mind that any of the sequences with the airplane operating on or near a carrier are simulated at this point, but most of what you see here is the real deal.
Check out a couple more X-47B posts, and then expect a lot more to come in the future as this daring team takes some giant leaps as they attempt to do some incredibly challenging work.
Image may be NSFW.
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The X-47B unmanned (autonomous) aircraft landing on its first flight in February 2011
