1960s-era drone with an analogue brain; story of the Canadair CL-89 & CL-289 Surveillance Drones

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On May 11th 1964, Canada quietly entered an elite group of countries capable of designing, building, and operating unmanned aircraft. Montreal-based Canadair created a series of fast and stealthy surveillance drones called the CL-89 and CL-289.

A typical mission would go something like this:
It was designed to be carried and launched on a truck-mounted rail. Before launch, the airframe and cameras are prepared and checked. It is fueled, and the expandable wings and directional control fins are installed. A booster rocket and stabiliser fins are attached. The sustainer turbojet engine is spun up and checked. Once up to speed, the launch rail is raised to the optimal angle and, when everything is ready and the crew is clear, the booster rocket is ignited to propel it up to its flight speed. The booster rocket falls away once the propellant burns out and the craft begins to automatically navigate through a series of waypoints. These waypoints can be programmed to avoid air defenses and penetrate areas too dangerous for manned aircraft. Pictures are taken by a pair of high resolution cameras at predetermined points along the flight plan. After completing the mission, the vehicle then returns home and is given a landing command from a ground-based transmitter. A parachute is deployed and airbags are inflated as it descends to the ground. Once recovered, the camera’s film is taken to an interpretation facility where it is processed. The drone is then sent to be refurbished for another mission.

0:00 Introduction
0:29 Canadair Missiles and Systems Division
1:31 CL-89 takes shape
3:54 CL-89 Prototype and Testing
6:33 CL-89 Operational Service
8:25 Changing threat, CL-227 Sentinel
9:32 Birth of the CL-289
11:52 CL-289 Prototype and Testing
14:06 CL-289 Operational Service
15:45 Upgrades and Advanced Models
16:45 Legacy and Conclusion

Music:
Denmark - Portland Cello Project

Aircraft/Systems mentioned:
CL-20 Velvet Glove
CL-54 Sparrow 2
CL-36 Target Drone
CL-85 Robot Dispatch Carriers
CL-87 Army Logistic Missile System
CL-89
CL-227
CL-289
CL-389

Research Sources:
+1969 Unmanned Surveillance Systems - https://sites.google.com/site/canadair50otherproducts/1969surveillancesystems
+Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Robotic Air Warfare 1917–2007 By Steven J. Zaloga
+EADS Successful in Modernization of CL-289 Reconnaissance UAVs - http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/17511/eads-delivers-upgraded-cl_289-uavs.html
+Aviations Militaires - https://www.aviationsmilitaires.net/v2/base/view/Model/1261.html
+Army Technology - https://www.army-technology.com/projects/cl289/
+The History of North American Small Gas Turbine Aircraft Engines By Richard A. Leyes, William A. Fleming - https://books.google.ca/books?id=V0SnFt8JGokC&pg=PA395&lpg=PA395&dq=Canadair+CL-89&source=bl&ots=N6tZ9znOqK&sig=Zuq4b47l19gjRY7cHhyaPA5qwXk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGgZ3Gw9zWAhVI6GMKHaLqAW0Q6AEIaDAN#v=onepage&q=Canadair%20CL-89&f=false
+British Army Aviation in Action By Tim Riple - https://books.google.ca/books?id=fTnN2fzqbzgC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=Canadair+CL-89&source=bl&ots=ctBSQDKsed&sig=gfD5hMH62a0GV5IaAOWdUhF6kRk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjo9YTfxNzWAhUI3GMKHTM_Aww4ChDoAQg1MAM#v=onepage&q=Canadair%20CL-89&f=false
+Future Aeronautical and Space Systems edited by Ahmed Khairy Noor, Samuel L. Venneri - https://books.google.ca/books?id=uuR5yBwvhsQC&pg=PA260&lpg=PA260&dq=Canadair+CL-89&source=bl&ots=_m0RcKc6GO&sig=GBQV6J4BTWWI4T5HUfW1ebjIcw4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjo9YTfxNzWAhUI3GMKHTM_Aww4ChDoAQgzMAI#v=onepage&q=Canadair%20CL-89&f=false
+Think Defence - https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/watchkeeper-tactical-unmanned-aerial-system-tuas/history/
+FAS Military Analysis Network - https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/cl-327.htm

#Drone #CanadianAerospace #PolyusStudios

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