A computerised drone the size of a fighter jet has completed a pilot's most difficult task unaided after landing on an aircraft carrier at sea for the first time.
The US Navy's X-47B drone landed on the USS George H W Bush off the coast of Virginia, deploying a hook that caught a wire aboard the ship and brought it to a quick stop.
It had previously touched down on land but hitting a moving target at sea, often in turbulent air, is seen as a more challenging manoeuvre.
Ray Mabus, a US Navy spokesman, said: "It is not often you get chance to see the future but that's what we got to do today.
The X-47B drone is as big as a fighter aircraft and weighs around 20 tonnes "This is an amazing day for aviation in general and for naval aviation in particular."
Unlike conventional drones, the X-47B, which cost around $1.4bn (£938m) to build, is not operated by remote control.
The aircraft uses computer software and GPS navigation to guide itself through the sky, flying missions of up to 2,400 miles.
Although it will never be put into operational use, US Navy officials hope it will help them develop future carrier-based drones.
The pilotless drone can travel at speeds of up to 610mph Such aircraft could enter production as early as 2014 and are expected to be operational by 2020.
The continued development of the unmanned drones is controversial, with growing criticism of the United States' use of Predator and Reaper aircraft to launch lethal missile attacks against terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.
Critics claim the strikes cause widespread civilian deaths and are carried out with inadequate oversight.
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