Fears for Pentagon air power as Iran claims drone capture

[Mechta]

500N: Flying wings can be very stable. The sweep back gives them directional stability and dihedral effect. With forwardish centre of gravity and a bit of washout on the tips (trailing edge higher than leading edge) they will glide very happily by themselves. BBC - Earth News - Vine seeds become 'giant gliders'

If someone wanted to deliver a gliding mock up into Iran they could do this with a couple of radio control servos, a GPS plus something to link the two. All it would need is to be pre-programmed to steer towards a chosen landing point. Some current UAVs do this if their engine stops, they glide to pre-programmed, reasonably flat, remote areas and go into a descending circuit until the ground gets in the way. If the programmer is clever, he sets it so it turns into the forecast wind at, say, 300ft and glides straight ahead. Some land with almost no damage.

People have towed free flight gliders with radio controlled or even other free flight models. It can be done.

Leon Jabachjabicz

Firstly I think you are right, that the thing had an engine failure before or after entering 'return home' mode, and came down either where gravity took it on the return home route, or to a pre-programmed empty space.

History; don't forget J.W. Dunne's tailless aircraft from the First World War. he even sold the designs to the Americans. Some were biplanes, others monoplanes.




Terminology; RPVs, RPAS, UAVs, UAS, UMA or drones. At least drone can cover them all, and doesn't just tell you what it isn't. Not all UAVs are remotely piloted; some are pre-programmed or 'think' for themselves once airborne, and when does an aeroplane become a system? Most modern aircraft, particularly military ones, are part of a system as they are of limited use without their ground support equipment, air traffic control, etc.

Jamesdevice wrote:

those early flying wings were all very stable and very difficult to control. Its really only modern computer control systems that enable them to fly.
Can't see anyone wasting that money on a fake.

This sounds contradictory. Is this what you are really trying to say?:
Early flying wings were all very stable but could be sensitive in pitch if trimmed with a rearward centre of gravity to allow them to be efficient. Its only really the use of modern computer systems (neutral stability +fly by wire) that enables them to fly efficiently.