The Firebird multi-sensor aircraft, a hybrid designed to fly with or without a human pilot, demonstrated its capabilities in a series of flights covering nearly 9,000 miles of US airspace, Northrop Grumman said on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th April, 2021) The Firebird multi-sensor aircraft, a hybrid designed to fly with or without a human pilot, demonstrated its capabilities in a series of flights covering nearly 9,000 miles of US airspace, Northrop Grumman said on Tuesday.
"Our flights showcased one of its key differentiators - the ability to position the system in a manned configuration, then convert to autonomous operations for persistent ISR [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] in under two hours," Northrop Grumman Vice President for Autonomous Systems Jane Bishop said in a press release.
The company flew Firebird almost 9,000 miles around the US with stops in Washington, DC, and a nearby base in the state of Maryland, as well as demonstration visits in the states of Ohio and Florida, the release said.
Humans piloted the aircraft in national airspace between destinations, where the plane's ability to fly as a drone could be demonstrated along with the ability to install new sensor payloads in as little as 30 minutes, according to the release.
