X-47B tested on carrier

Just handling tests so far - it was lifted on board the Harry S. Truman by crane, but it is expected to start flying onto a carrier in 2013.

The Navy has said it expects the X-47B to first land on a carrier by 2013, relying on pinpoint GPS coordinates and advanced avionics. The carrier's computers digitally transmit the carrier's speed, cross-winds and other data to the drone as it approaches from kilometres away.

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul


B-47 FROM THE 1950s ??????????

Another image taken from a different angle posted on another forum.

failheap-challenge.com...

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul



Its notable to mention that not only is it unmanned, it is completely autonomous, no pilot at all.. Skynet type system is becoming reality.

reply to post by blackz28


No. This is the X-47 UCAV.




They lifted it with a crane, and are going to perform tests of the arm mounted taxi control system, while the ship is in port, and while it's under way. If those tests go well then some time in 2013 or early 2014 they will try the first flight ops on a carrier with it.

Originally posted by blackz28
reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul

 

B-47 FROM THE 1950s ??????????

X-47B - you could do a little research

that was an intresting article that you have linked us to, alonious.
thanks
you could put a little more effort into your OP's though!

This is a completely autonomous aircraft....no pilot will land or take it off the deck...all automated and flown by a "pentium 4"

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Originally posted by Juggernog
Its notable to mention that not only is it unmanned, it is completely autonomous, no pilot at all.. Skynet type system is becoming reality.

That's what the article says but can't it be remotely piloted if they want to override the autonomous program?

It seemed like that was a problem with the fictional skynet...they seemed to have forgotten to put in override systems to stop the autonomous execution. On the other hand, if it won't accept any external commands, that would prevent an enemy from using jammers or taking control of it, both of which were suggested as possibilities when Iran downed a US drone shortly after buying some jammers from Russia.

Pilots have always been the weak point of a piloted aircraft, for endurance, maneuverability, etc. It's pretty interesting technology that eliminates the pilot completely. Now let's see how well it actually works. Since it's experimental, there may be a few bugs to work out.

First land based catapult shot.

Taxi trials, using the arm mounted CDU began on the deck of the Truman on the 9th. They have taxied the craft over the arresting wires, made turns with it, spotted it near the catapult, and have been showing that they can move the aircraft with the precision required.

www.flightglobal.com...

Videos and pictures of taxying, etc at defencenews.com

Ok, I had to laugh at the fact that this is an unmanned aircraft, and yet, there's a guy standing in front of it marshalling it. Really?

The new round of tests, on the Theodore Roosevelt, this summer, will prove that the aircraft can match manned aircraft, and clear the deck in 90 seconds. It will feature an automatic wing fold, as well as an automatic tail hook retraction. Both are currently done manually.