The world of robotics has made yet another contribution, where this time around, the X-47B, which is the most valued drone by the Navy, has managed to perform a successful simulated landing on an aircraft carrier deck – and this marks the first time that such a thing happened. It might look deceptively simple to perform, but in reality, it is not such a case. This particular advancement marks the sign that the Navy could very well be able to operate drones off its aircraft carriers, where it also increases the ante for the US in the world of military robotics.
The video above depicts the X-47B drone descending from the heavens onto a mock carrier deck on dry land, and this incident was recorded at the Navy’s Patuxent River testbed. This test flight is different from the rest, where the robot’s tailhook manage to catch the MK-7 arresting gear (which is some kind of cable), which is a move that the Navy’s actual Top Gun pilots would need to catch all the time whenever they touch down on aircraft carriers while at sea.