Insitu ScanEagle X200 This ScanEagle remotely piloted aircraft (or drone) served Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) demonstrations from 2013-2015 to integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the U.S. national airspace. It performed ice floe monitoring missions in northern Alaska, and beyond visual line of sight validation flights, including railroad track inspection in New Mexico. The ScanEagle was the first drone to receive an FAA restricted category type certificate. The ScanEagle evolved from engineer Tad McGeer's project in the late 1990s, to develop a scout for tuna fishing fleets. The aircraft launches by catapult and recovers (guided by differential GPS) upon flying into a cable suspended from a crane. It is caught out of the air by its wingtip. Since 2004, the ScanEagle has seen extensive military service overseas in the tactical observation role, most notably with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Gift of Insitu, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company Wingspan: 3.11 m (10 ft 2 in) Length: 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in) Height: 0.41 m (1 ft 4 in) Weight, empty: 14 kg (30 lb) Weight, gross: 20 kg (44 lb) Engine: 3W 2-stroke 28cc piston engine, 2 hp Top speed: 148 km/h (92 mph) Manufacturer: Insitu, 2011 Created by Eric Long Date Created 03/13/2019 Source Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Keywords Aircraft; Aviation; Unpiloted Rights and Restrictions CC0
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