MINI-RPV ATOP TRUCK LAUNCHER AT MOJAVE AIRPORT
0.03


FLIGHT CREW STARTS RPV's ENGINE.
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AIRCRAFT ENGINE RUNS PRIOR TO LAUNCHING.
0.03


RPV IS LAUNCHED FROM TRUCK SPEEDING DOWN RUNWAY.
0.19


CONTROLLER OPERATES AIRCRAFT USING RADIO CONTROLS.
0.03


MINI-RPV FLIGHT WITH FLYBY AND TURN.
0.17


CONTROLLER'S HAND AT WORK.
0.02


AIRCRAFT FLIGHT ENDS WITH DESCENT TO AIRPORT SHOWING TEHATCHAPI MOUNTAINS IN BACKGROUND.
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Initials



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Background: INTRODUCTION. ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE DEFENSE INDUSTRY TODAY IS THE USE OF REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLES, KNOWN AS RPVs. THESE PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT COME IN ALL SIZES, AND ONE OF THE SMALLEST BUILT TO DATE WAS DEVELOPED IN LOS ANGELES BY NORTHROP CORPORATION.

THE NORTHROP MINI-RPV, WHICH WAS FLIGHT TESTED AT THE MOJAVE AIRPORT IN ANTELOPE VALLEY, WEIGHS ONLY 89 POUNDS AND IS DESIGNED TO BE LAUNCHED IN LARGE NUMBERS -- ON ONE WAY MISSIONS -- TO HARASS ENEMY RADAR DEFENSES.

TO SIMPLIFY TESTING OF THE LOW-COST, EXPENDABLE VEHICLE, NORTHROP ENGINEERS LAUNCHED THE MINI-RPV FROM ATOP A TRUCK MOVING AT 80 MILES PER HOUR. IN ACTUAL OPERATION, A SIMPLE CATAPULT LAUNCH WOULD BE USED.

THE VEHICLE IS CONTROLLED BY RADIO SIGNALS. THE SAME WAY MODEL AIRPLANE ENTHUSIASTS CONTROL THEIR OWN HOME-BUILT MODELS.

DURING THE TEST FLIGHT, WHICH LASTED ABOUT 46 MINUTES, THE NORTHROP MINI-RPV REACHED A TOP SPEED OF 200 MILES PER HOUR AND WAS FLOWN TO AN ALTITUDE OF 5,500 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESEMBLES A MINIATURE FLYING WING, PERFORMED MANY OF THE MANEUVERS IT MIGHT USE TO HARASS ENEMY RADAR DEFENSES. NORTHROP HAS FORWARDED THE RESULTS OF THE TEST FLIGHTS TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE FOR EVALUATION.