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hover to horizontal flight during April 2005. Each test flight of the GoldenEye-50 has been fully autonomous, using the Athena Tech- nologies GuideStar-111M flight control sys- tem. Capable of carrying a more comprehensive payload package than the small Honeywell platform, GoldenEye-50 is constructed from lightweight composite materials. It has a length of 26%in (67.3cm) and a wingspan of 4ft 7in (1.4m). Quoted endurance is one hour at a cruise speed of 62mph (100km/h). Development contracts for Class II vehicles were issued to several defence contractors on 7th December 2004, including Aurora Flight Sciences (in association with Northrop- Grumman & General Dynamics Robotic Sys- tems), Honeywell and BAE Systems. The Class II platforms can carry more substantial payloads over greater distances and operate for longer periods, although their larger size and greater weight requires more ground support. Initial requirements for Class Il OAV demonstrators were: an endurance of 25 minutes, a range of about 1.24 miles (2.0km) and a maximum speed of 50mph (80km/h). They would be expected to carry a payload of 7.5lb (3.4kg), such as video, IR, SIGINT or acoustic equipment, with transportation to the launch site normally undertaken by a Humvee or a future robot ground vehicle. The group led by Aurora Flight Sciences (a sub-contractor for Northrop-Grumman with Below: Unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) used to support the Allied Aerospace iSTAR UAV. Allied Aerospace Considerable involvement in the Global Hawk UAV programme) provided the Gold- enEye UAV for evaluation as a Class II plat- form. This ducted fan design (initially conceived for an earlier DARPA programme) uses thrust-vectoring methods and has a full VTOL and hover capability. GoldenEye is equipped with a pivoting wing that becomes aligned with the vehicle’s centreline during cruise and is at a right angle to the centreline during hover. It employs many advanced flight control systems including collision avoidance and autonomous operation using GPS navigation. GoldenEye is largely constructed from fibre- glass and graphite composites, being sup- ported in an upright position by four tailfins fitted with integral landing gear. Propulsion is provided by a 38hp (28kw) Wankel rotary engine providing a maximum speed of 185mph (298km/h). The dimensions are: length 5ft 6in (1.68m), wingspan 10ft (3m) and duct diameter 3ft (0.91m). Empty, Gold- enEye weighs 105Ib (47.6kg) and, fully fuelled with a sensor package, this can rise to 150 Ib (68.0kg). The Honeywell platform evolved from the original 29in (73.7cm) diameter iSTAR Above: Underside of the Allied Aerospace iSTAR 29-inch UAV, showing control vanes. Allied Aerospace tem. 160 Above: Underside of the Allied Aerospace iSTAR 29-inch UAV, showing control vanes. Allied Aerospace Below: Unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) used to support the Allied Aerospace iSTAR UAV. Allied Aerospace Secret Projects: Flying Saucer Aircraft