Boeing Condor

The Boeing Condor is an unmanned reconnaissance drone, which served as a flying high-tech laboratory for distance education. It has a wingspan of 200 feet ( 60.96 m ), more than a Boeing B -52 or Boeing 747 Powered by two 175 hp ( 130.5 kW) water-cooled, twin-turbocharged Continental TSOL -300 -2- six-cylinder Boxer engines, it reached a top speed of 230 mph ( 370.15 km / h ) and could stay in the air without refueling 80 hours.

The fuselage and the wings of the Boeing Condor consist largely of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, which has a very low radar and heat signature. Nevertheless, the Boeing Condor was not a stealth drone, and Boeing had himself points out this deficiency. This property made ​​together with their size and low speed, the Boeing Condor too vulnerable for military operations.

The Boeing Condor could start autonomously fly a mission and land. It was controlled by an onboard computer that communicated via satellite with ground-based computers. For all facets of the missions could be controlled.

1989 continued the Boeing Condor the height world record for piston-driven aircraft at 66,980 feet ( 20,416 m) and was the first aircraft, which carried out a fully automated flight from takeoff to landing.

During his trial, the Boeing Condor recorded on over 300 hours of mission flights over the Moses Lake, Washington. It is now on display in San Mateo, California in the Hiller Aviation Museum.

Specifications

General features

  • Crew: No
  • Length: 16.59 m
  • Wingspan: 59.16 m
  • Empty weight: 3600 kg
  • Total weight: 9100 kg,
  • Powerplant: 2 × Continental TSOL -300 2 each with 130 kW

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 370 km / h
  • Flight time: 80 hours
  • Service ceiling: 20,500 m
  • Rate of climb: 10.2 m / s
Boeing Phantom Works Washington (state)
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