Dynetics X-61 Gremlins
Dynetics · United States · first flew 2020 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Dynetics X-61 Gremlins is an experimental unmanned aerial vehicle designed by Dynetics for the DARPA Gremlins programme. It is designed to be recovered in mid-air by a modified transport aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Cruciform |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low-mounted wing on a very small airframe, only 3.47 m in span
- Cruciform tail
- A single turbofan engine
A small jet drone 4.2 m long with a span of 3.47 m, powered by a Williams F107 turbofan. One controller can control up to eight at a time.
Specifications
- The Dynetics X-61 Gremlins has a length of 4.2 m (14 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 3.47 m (11 ft).
- Typical crew: 0.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Dynetics was one of four companies awarded a Phase I contract in 2016 and won the Phase III contract in April 2018. The first captive flight, on a C-130A Hercules mother ship, was in November 2019, and the first free flight was on 17 January 2020.
Variants
Five X-61A vehicles had been built by January 2020. The X-61A is powered by a Williams F107 turbofan and can carry payloads including electro-optical sensors, infrared imagers and electronic warfare systems.
Where you'll see it
The first free flight was successful, but the main parachute failed to deploy and the aircraft was lost. A second test flight in August 2020 recovered the vehicle by parachute, and in October 2021 DARPA announced a mid-air recovery by a C-130.
Related aircraft
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