Drone Makes First Flight Guided Only by Air Jets

A drone developed with the backing of U.K. defense giant BAE Systems Plc has become the first plane since the dawn of aviation to be maneuvered without the aid of movable control surfaces on its wings or other parts of the aircraft’s body.

The Magma model is flown by blowing air from its engine at supersonic speeds through slots in the wings. The technology is lighter, more reliable and cheaper to operate than conventional control surfaces, such as wing flaps, rudders and ailerons, BAE says. It also makes the plane all but invisible on radar thanks to a reduced number of gaps and edges.