What’s that in the sky? It’s not a bird, or a plane, it’s … a flying submarine?! Meet the Flimmer. That’s short for “flying swimmer,” and comes from the “what will the Naval Research Laboratory dream up next?” category. It’s hard to argue with the logic behind what some have dubbed the “duck drone.” Covering vast distances is far easier in the air than underwater. In addition, an air-delivered unmanned underwater vehicles can operate in areas that lack easy access. Yet the challenges are many, as aerodynamics and hydrodynamics require far different designs. For example, weight is bad for a thin-skinned aircraft,…
Browsing: Unmanned systems
Nearly three years ago, the Navy and defense giant Northrop Grumman Corp. unveiled the X-47B unmanned air system in Palmdale, Calif., showing off the bat-wing-like tailless and pilotless autonomous bomber that is designed to take off and land on aircraft carriers. In February, the first air vehicle made history when it completed its first real flight, a half-hour mission over the California desert. On Nov. 22, the second air vehicle, known as AV-2, took off in the hazy blue skies at nearby Edwards Air Force Base and flew up to 5,000 feet as it cut some race patterns over a…
