owl with no eyes?

Thankfully the pilot is OK, but for me, another ship in the skies to avoid is one thing, a glider without a pilot is technology without need. Can someone explain to me the benefit of this weapon?

http://www.reflector-online.com/vnew.../45383b26859e8

Bagmaker

Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the "test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field.. and
to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out of
harms way.

BT

"bagmaker" wrote in message
...

Thankfully the pilot is OK, but for me, another ship in the skies to
avoid is one thing, a glider without a pilot is technology without
need. Can someone explain to me the benefit of this weapon?

http://tinyurl.com/yckmho

Bagmaker




--
bagmaker

"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the "test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field..
and to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out
of harms way.

I doubt very much the utility of this UAV. As a former designer of weapon
systems and surveillance gear using UAVs I have to say a glider with its
very low speed would not last long over most battlefields. UAVs are mostly
used for low level surveillance AFAIK and the ones I have been involved with
(two UK types) all flew at quite a high speed to avoid being shot down.

Alistair Wright
ex BAE Systems
Scotland

Alistair Wright wrote:
"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the "test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field..
and to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out
of harms way.

I doubt very much the utility of this UAV. As a former designer of weapon
systems and surveillance gear using UAVs I have to say a glider with its
very low speed would not last long over most battlefields. UAVs are mostly
used for low level surveillance AFAIK and the ones I have been involved with
(two UK types) all flew at quite a high speed to avoid being shot down.

Alistair Wright
ex BAE Systems
Scotland

The 'glider' looks a lot like a Sparrow Hawk to me.

Chip F

Alistair Wright wrote:
"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial

Actually it is a glider. it is the Windward Performance, Sparrowhawk.
MSU has a program to turn it into a UAV.

I understand the production of the Sparrowhawk is moving from Bend to
MSU.

Robert Mudd
Moriarty, New Mexico

The news report suggests that NTSB is not taking much interest. I
imagine Sparrow Hawk owners are more concerned.

Andy

"Andy" wrote in message
ups.com...
The news report suggests that NTSB is not taking much interest. I
imagine Sparrow Hawk owners are more concerned.

My thoughts exactly! Perhaps the NTSB does not realize that the aircraft
was more than a "one off" test airframe, or perhaps they don't care because
there is no N number?

Vaughn

On Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:19:51 +0100, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the "test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field..
and to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out
of harms way.

I doubt very much the utility of this UAV. As a former designer of weapon
systems and surveillance gear using UAVs I have to say a glider with its
very low speed would not last long over most battlefields. UAVs are mostly
used for low level surveillance AFAIK and the ones I have been involved with
(two UK types) all flew at quite a high speed to avoid being shot down.

Before you can shoot it down you have to SEE it. If it's made of
fiberglass, forget seeing it on radar, and once it gets in close, gets
its pictures and transmits them, who cares if it's shot down? You're
already busted. The next object overhead will be coming in very fast,
with a load of explosives aboard.

rj

There have been hints of interest from DARPA about autonomous UAV's that
utilize soaring techniques. In Iraq and Afganistan there are often good
thermals under bright, dusty skies. A motorglider-like UAV that can sustain
itself by soaring could extend its loiter time significantly.

As for stealth, in gliding mode the UAV would have very low thermal and a
acoustic signatures. Further out is daylight visual stealth - not exactly
an invisibility cloak but pretty darn good. If the airframe could be coated
with an OLED film that could make it glow at exactly the same hue and
brightness as a dusty sky as seen from the point of interest, it would be
very difficult to see. A high L/D glide mode would allow it to approach an
area of interest very stealthily.

This is all speculation on my part. I don't know what they are up to.

Bill Daniels


"Ralph Jones" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:19:51 +0100, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the
"test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field..
and to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out
of harms way.

I doubt very much the utility of this UAV. As a former designer of weapon
systems and surveillance gear using UAVs I have to say a glider with its
very low speed would not last long over most battlefields. UAVs are mostly
used for low level surveillance AFAIK and the ones I have been involved
with
(two UK types) all flew at quite a high speed to avoid being shot down.

Before you can shoot it down you have to SEE it. If it's made of
fiberglass, forget seeing it on radar, and once it gets in close, gets
its pictures and transmits them, who cares if it's shot down? You're
already busted. The next object overhead will be coming in very fast,
with a load of explosives aboard.

rj

The caption under the pilot's photo says he ejected, yet the aircraft has
BRS.