What was the first full-scale remotely piloted aircraft?

What was the first full-scale remotely piloted aircraft?

• A. MQ-9 Reaper
• B. Sopwith Aerial Target
• C. Boeing X-47
• D. General Atomics Predator

Answer: (B)

Remotely piloted aircraft began as a concept to fly a complete airplane without a pilot on board, guided from the ground. The earliest full-scale example was the Sopwith Aerial Target, developed around World War I as a drone used for target practice. It was built as a complete aircraft and flown under radio control from the ground, which makes it the first instance of a full-scale remotely piloted aircraft. Later systems like the Predator and Reaper came several decades afterward and are modern UAVs used for surveillance and combat, while the X-47 is a newer demo aircraft designed to demonstrate carrier-based unmanned flight.

Remotely piloted aircraft began as a concept to fly a complete airplane without a pilot on board, guided from the ground. The earliest full-scale example was the Sopwith Aerial Target, developed around World War I as a drone used for target practice. It was built as a complete aircraft and flown under radio control from the ground, which makes it the first instance of a full-scale remotely piloted aircraft.

Later systems like the Predator and Reaper came several decades afterward and are modern UAVs used for surveillance and combat, while the X-47 is a newer demo aircraft designed to demonstrate carrier-based unmanned flight.