325lbs is about 40 gallons. They’re going to have to step it up a bit.
True, but this was probably a first step demonstration. Looks like that tanker could deliver several thousand pounds in total.
It’s just a proof of concept. 40 gallons or 400 makes no difference. The challenging bits are can you find each other, fly together, get the drogue to connect, successfully begin fueling, maintain the connection, and safely break connection. If you can do that, then it doesn’t really matter how much fuel is transferred.
This was a good, successful test. It’s an excellent tool to have available and particularly valuable in forward positions where refueling aircraft may be put at risk. Those things are flying bombs. I sure wouldn’t want to be in one as any accident means game-over in a hurry. Perfect for a drone.
Considering that on December 17, 1903 man made the 1st big leap into the air...
This is just the first version of an unmanned airborne tanker. There will be upgrades. I think the plan is to have four of these per carrier. They could build additional "tanker carriers" custom designed to fly only tanker aircraft like these to service the aircraft flying off the main fleet carrier. They could go a lot of ways with these.
They probably burned that much during the process. But…you have to start somewhere.