The Taranis drone, made by UK defense manufacturer BAE Systems, during initial test flights in August 2013.

Video from the stealthy and speedy Taranis drone’s first flight last summer was released earlier this month by the aircraft’s maker, BAE Systems.

In the first flight video, the new Taranis took off, banked, gained elevation, tested landing gear and landed safely.

Since that first 15-minute flight at an undisclosed location (not in the UK), several other unmanned test flights have been conducted, including one that lasted an hour, according to a press release from BAE.

The defense giant is calling the Taranis the “most advanced air system ever conceived, designed and built in the UK.”

How stealthy and speedy is the Taranis? That information is confidential, but some in the industry have speculated it is capable of supersonic speeds, according to a recent Foreign Policy story.

Many of the details regarding the approximately $310 million dollar prototype are in a “low observability” status, as the UK defense manufacturer likes to write. This includes the specifics of its stealth technology.

As far as stealth appearances, the Taranis looks, very generally, like a miniature version of America’s B-2 stealth bomber—made by Northrop Grumman—with its sleek body and triangular shape.

The Taranis, named after the Celtic God of Thunder, is about 39 feet in length and has an approximate 33-foot wingspan; but the project’s goals are precise: “Fend off hostile attack; deploy weapons deep in enemy territory,” according to a data sheet from BAE.

suzuki.toshio@stripes.com

Twitter: @ToshJohn