TDR-1 Assault Drone Tests July 30, 1944 by STAG-One in the South Pacific

STAG-One TDR-1 Assault Drone Tests July 30, 1944 This is original 35mm color film footage with no sound. This film documents the first tests of drones in the Pacific during World War II by Special Task Air Group One (STAG-1). Each TDR-1 Assault Drone was armed with a single 2,000 lb bomb and was controlled by a TBM Avenger mother ship. Inside the nose was a television camera and transmitter that relayed a black & white image to the mother ship and the image was viewed on a small television screen. The observer controlled the TDR-1 using a joystick and flew it into the target. 00:00 – STAG-One TDR-1 Assault Drones preflight at Banika Airfield in the Russell Islands. 00:11 – TDR-1 Assault Drone Tail 860 take off no. 1 from Banika Airfield. 00:25 – TDR-1 Assault Drone Tail 880 suffers nose gear failure and does not take off. 00:30 – TDR-1 Assault Drone “Edna III“ Tail 873 take off from Banika Airfield. 00:45 –