Navy, Northrop Score Historic First With (Mostly) Successful X-47B Drone Carrier Landings

Navy, Northrop Score Historic First With (Mostly) Successful X-47B Drone Carrier Landings
Navy, Northrop Score Historic First With (Mostly) Successful X-47B Drone Carrier Landings

[Updated Thursday with details on third, aborted landing attempt] Two out of three ain’t bad, if you’re trying something no one’s ever done before. Landing on the narrow, pitching deck of a Navy aircraft carrier is one of the hardest things a human being can do. Today, for the first time in history, a robot…

Navy Drone’s Next Test: X-47B Will Land, Sort Of; China Unveils Similar Drone

Navy Drone’s Next Test: X-47B Will Land, Sort Of; China Unveils Similar Drone
Navy Drone’s Next Test: X-47B Will Land, Sort Of; China Unveils Similar Drone

[Corrected description of Navy test sequence] Unmanned aircraft are relatively easy to fly. Landing one without crashing is hard. Getting one to take off from the narrow, pitching deck of an aircraft carrier is harder still. Landing on a carrier? That’s hard enough to give human pilots nervous breakdowns. Soon, it will be the final…