Boeing Completes Eight-Hour Flight of A160T Hummingbird

The autonomous unmanned rotorcraft, measuring 35 feet long with a 36-foot rotor diameter, eventually will fly more than 140 knots with a ceiling of 25,000 to 30,000 ft. (high hover capability up to 15,000 ft.) for up to 20 hours.

And in a major milestone last week, Boeing has successfully flown its A160T Hummingbird unmanned vehicle for eight hours while carrying a 1,000-pound payload. During its longest flight to date and the program’s 42nd flight overall, the aircraft reached an altitude of 5,000 feet near Victorville, Calif. The half-ton payload simulated the delivery of critical supplies to the battlefield. Future payloads will include a combination of sensors, weapons and systems to perform a variety of missions.

Read the full coverage at Space War.

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