Boeing Condor
Design and Development
Condor is an experimental HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) UAV, developed by Boeing. The design of the aircraft began in the first half of the 1980s. The Condor made its first flight on October 9, 1988.
Dimensions and Flight Capability
The Condor UAV boasts enormous dimensions; with a length of 20 meters, its wingspan is 62 meters, exceeding that of a Boeing 747 airliner or a Boeing B-52 bomber. To this day, this aircraft remains the largest UAV ever built.
The Condor became the world’s first fully automated unmanned aircraft, capable of performing autonomous takeoff, flight along a predetermined route, and landing.
The drone’s powerplant consists of two turbocharged six-cylinder Continental TSOL-300-2 piston engines, each with 175 hp. This enables the drone to fly at a top speed of 370 km/h, while its autonomous flight endurance exceeds 80 hours (the company claims 161 hours).
During its 141-hour flight test program in 1988 and 1989, the Condor set several records for piston-powered aircraft. It reached a maximum altitude of 67,028 feet (20,430 meters) and remained airborne for almost two and a half days (more than 50 hours, to be precise). However, this latter record was not confirmed by the FAI.
Purpose and Legacy
The drone was intended for research in military (primarily reconnaissance) and civilian programs, funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). However, orders were not secured. The military was not satisfied with its low speed, poor maneuverability, and lack of stealth features.
Despite its significant potential in weather monitoring and atmospheric research, the high operating costs of the UAV exceeded the budgets of most civilian organizations involved in these fields.
Currently, the Condor UAV is on display at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, California.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | Condor |
| Wingspan, m | 62. 00 |
| Length, m | 20. 00 |
| Empty weight | 2438 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 9525 |
| Fuel | 5443 |
| Engine type | 2 Piston engines Continental TSOL-300-2 |
| Power, hp | 2x 175 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 370 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 177 |
| Flight endurance, h | 80-161 |
| Maximum rate of climb, m/min | 612 |
| Service ceiling, m | 20000 |
Image gallery of the Boeing Condor
