ight ▁Dynam ics ▁Labor atory ▁at ▁W P AF B ▁to ▁investigate ▁high ▁man eu ver ability ▁flight ▁and ▁discover ▁whether ▁a ▁high ▁performance ▁rem ot ely ▁pil oted ▁aircraft ▁could ▁perform ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁miss ions ▁as ▁man ned ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁ 1 4 7 G ▁was ▁particularly ▁su ited ▁for ▁this ▁since ▁it ▁had ▁an ▁extended ▁nose ▁section ▁for ▁equipment , ▁a ▁more ▁powerful ▁engine , ▁and ▁a ▁larger ▁wing ▁than ▁previous ▁Fire Be e ▁variants . ▁These ▁aircraft ▁were ▁originally ▁designed ▁for ▁cover t , ▁high ▁alt itude ▁surve ill ance . ▁ ▁The ▁red es igned ▁aircraft ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁rein for ced ▁wing box , ▁an ▁active ▁rud der , ▁a ▁C oh u ▁nose ▁video ▁camera , ▁a ▁V ega ▁digital ▁control / data ▁link , ▁speed ▁bra kes , ▁and ▁a ▁Lear - S ie gl ar ▁digital ▁proportional ▁aut op il ot . ▁ ▁The ▁modified ▁dr one ▁was ▁originally ▁designated ▁the ▁F DL - 2 3 ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁X Q M - 1 0 3 . ▁Six ▁capt ive ▁and ▁six ▁free ▁flight ▁test ▁fl ights ▁were ▁performed , ▁with ▁the ▁aircraft ▁able ▁to ▁perform ▁ 1 0 G ▁turns ▁in ▁its ▁final ▁configuration . ▁On ▁its ▁fifth ▁mission , ▁the ▁engine ▁sh aft ▁bent ▁at ▁ 1 0 ▁G ' s ▁and ▁impact ed ▁the ▁compress or ▁housing , ▁dam aging ▁its ▁engine . ▁On ▁its ▁sixth ▁mission , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁ground ▁commands ▁and ▁self -