The security company Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have publicized that their unmanned spy drone has successfully passed the first series of flight tests, and that it will be soon used by the Navy. This drone is named the MQ-4C after the Greek god Triton who was a messenger of Poseidon. Triton and P-8A Poseidon will work in tandem to complete militaristic missions.
In 2012, Triton was first announced. It then took over a year to launch it into the air. At present, the U.S. Navy has ordered 68 Tritons, costing $1.16 billion in total.
Through the process of “envelope expansion,” the aircraft’s ability to perform tasks, change speeds, altitudes, and weights is noted by the test team. The Triton team is executing more tests in Northrop Grumman’s facility in Palmdale, California.
Image via Northrop Grumman Inc.
The flying robot has the same wingspan as a Boeing 757 commercial airplane, spanning 130.9 feet. The group is working on their flying goal of 24 hours, and so far, Triton has completed 9.4 hours at a time in the air at 50,000 feet from the ground.
The surveillance plane’s aptitudes include a sensor that enables a 360-degree view of everything with a working radius of over 2,000 miles with a speed of 380 mph. Triton could potentially be designed with a security feature that senses obstacles, maneuvering around them for smooth flights.
The Navy hopes to integrate Triton into missions by 2017, after the drone has sufficiently been tweaked to perfection. Currently, the drone is over 2 years behind its scheduled plan for launch.
Story via Northrop Grumman Inc., Mashable
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