BAE Systems confirms the Mantis unmanned aircraft has flown for the first time at the Woomera test range in South Australia.
The 20m (65.5ft)-wingspan Mantis, a rising competitor to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, completed a series of flight trials as part of a demonstration for the UK Ministry of Defence.
The trials "have helped build confidence in the feasibility of a UK-derived medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system," says Air Vice-Marshal Simon Bollom, defence equipment and support director combat air. BAE unveiled the Mantis concept at the Farnborough air show in 2008, and it has reached flight status within 19 months of programme launch.
 |
© BAE Systems |
In addition to being the largest fully autonomous aircraft ever built in the UK, it is BAE's first all-electric aircraft to enter flight test.