 Radio-controlled model aircraft flying is one of America's most popular hobbies. The people who fly these small-scale versions of their favorite planes have many reasons why they're interested. Some like the excitement of flying, some like building them, and some just enjoy the camaraderie. Engineers at NASA's Dry and Flight Research Center in California use radio-controlled aircraft for another reason. Research. They know that meaningful data can be obtained from radio-controlled aircraft. They are using a 15% model of Dry and's own F-18 high-offer research vehicle that has been built as a proof-of-concept platform to conduct aerodynamic research. The model was made at Dry and almost exclusively from standard RC model industry equipment like this a-round servo, but a number of modifications had to be made in order to meet research specifications. A fuselage made of fiberglass comes from an off-the-shelf model kit. The wings and tail surfaces are made out of a styrofoam core and sheeted with balsa wood. Entirely new engine inlets and exhaust ducts were made in order to more accurately represent the true F-18 inline configuration. This included functional boundary-layered diverters. Stress-caring bulkheads made of a special laminate of end-grain balsa wood and fiberglass had to be installed to handle the stresses encountered by the model in flight. Some parts, like the stabilator pivot mechanism, were made by hand. Other types of material used were plywood, carbon fiber, and balsa wood. The model's thrust comes from two commercially available ducted fan units that are 85% efficient in converting horsepower to thrust. Two model airplane engines power the fan units, producing 11 pounds of static thrust each. The plane has been tracked on radar at 160 knots, a speed which should be increased with the installation of liquid propane-fueled mini-turbo jets. Thrust-fecturing vanes have been added to the model to make it true to the real aircraft, but are not operational. However, an operational system has been designed for a future project. The plane is fully instrumented to measure airspeed, angle of attack, side slip, and controlled surface positions. Three-axis rate gyros measure the rate of rotation, and three accelerometers measure the G-forces experienced by the model in flight. It took six months to build at a cost of approximately $25,000. These modifications make it truly capable of performing as a flight research vehicle like its full-scale Big Brother. RC sub-scale models like this have a unique quality that allows researchers to gather aerodynamic data, which is difficult and expensive to obtain in wind tunnels. Models like this are especially suited for getting aerodynamic data, like performing parameter identification studies, and for confirming the basic airworthiness of unique aircraft configurations. Research and advanced control theory can also be done by using existing technology. A flight control computer can be installed that would allow the aircraft to gather data at specific flight conditions. Radio-controlled model aircraft flying is a great hobby, but for NASA's Dry and Flight Research Center, they are just another innovative tool in advancing their frontiers of flight research.