Teledyne Ryan · Reconnaissance · United States · Cold War (1970–1991)
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →The Teledyne Ryan Model 410 is an American jet-powered, low-observable reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (now Northrop Grumman) as a research and demonstration platform during the 1980s. First flown in 1988, it served as a development airframe for several Teledyne Ryan reconnaissance UAV concepts. Field deployment is sparsely documented in open sources; the Model 410's role appears to have been that of a technology testbed feeding subsequent Teledyne Ryan and Northrop Grumman UAV programmes.
Configured as a small fixed-wing jet UAV, the Model 410 measures roughly 14 ft (4.3 m) in length with an 11.0 ft (3.4 m) wingspan — placing it in the same size class as the related Model 324 Scarab. Empty weight is around 760 lb and maximum take-off weight around 1,050 lb. Power comes from a single Williams International turbojet rated at about 700 lbf thrust, giving a top speed near Mach 0.9 (~700 mph at sea level) and a service ceiling of 40,000 ft. The aircraft was designed for ground-launched reconnaissance with parachute recovery for re-use, mirroring the Scarab's operating concept.
Reconnaissance technology development was the Model 410's principal mission: hosting sensor packages, flight-control experiments, and concept-of-operations trials. Unlike the Scarab, it was not tied to a specific export customer and instead functioned as a Teledyne Ryan internal demonstrator. Open-source service details remain thin, and the airframe appears to have been a research and demonstration aircraft rather than a series-production platform.
Programme timeline: development ran in the late 1980s with first flight in 1988. The Model 410's exact relationship to the Model 324 Scarab and other Teledyne Ryan reconnaissance UAVs is not fully detailed in public sources, but it likely fed design lessons into the Scarab and follow-on reconnaissance drones. Teledyne Ryan was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 1999, and the Model 410's design heritage flows into later Northrop Grumman UAV efforts including the RQ-4 Global Hawk.
The Teledyne Ryan Model 410 is an American spy drone from the 1980s. It has no pilot inside. A company called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical built it. They later became part of Northrop Grumman.
The Model 410 first flew in 1988. It was used as a test aircraft to try out new ideas for future drones. Engineers learned a lot from flying it. Those lessons helped build better drones later on.
The drone is smaller than a school bus. It is about 14 feet long with an 11-foot wingspan. It weighs around 760 pounds when empty. A small jet engine gives it power and pushes it close to the speed of sound.
The Model 410 was launched from the ground. It flew scouting missions to gather information. When the mission ended, a parachute brought it safely back down. This meant the drone could be used again and again.
The Model 410 was closely related to another drone called the Model 324 Scarab. Both drones shared a similar design and way of operating. The Model 410 helped pave the way for many future drone programs.
It was made by a company called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical. That company later became part of Northrop Grumman, which still builds aircraft and drones today.
The Model 410 uses a parachute to come back down after a mission. The parachute slows it down so it lands safely. This way the drone can be used again.
It was used as a test aircraft to try out new scouting technology. Engineers flew it to learn what worked well. Those ideas helped build better drones later on.
Yes! It is closely related to a drone called the Model 324 Scarab. Both drones are about the same size and work in a similar way.
Both belong to the same Teledyne Ryan reconnaissance UAV family, and detailed public differences are limited. The two are similarly sized jet-powered reconnaissance drones from the late 1980s. The Model 324 Scarab was developed specifically for Egyptian Air Force export, whereas the Model 410 served as a research and demonstration platform without a tied export customer.
Modest. Its main historical role lies in being part of the broader Teledyne Ryan reconnaissance UAV family that fed into later Northrop Grumman programmes including the RQ-4 Global Hawk and RQ-180. Compared with better-known Teledyne Ryan platforms, the Model 410's own field deployment is poorly documented in open sources.