As only the "Predator" got to life, the techniques retreated to a safe distance. The main computer, the primary module of the UAV control system, began to send the Predator test signals, and he began to check the onboard systems. Electric current circulated inside the aircraft, activating various internal components. - Power's on. My cameraman Han and I ran through the checkpoints. Han was a young pilot who was just running out of his first stint in the Air Force. His call sign he received in honor of Han Solo, the character of the movie “Star Wars”. But not because of the raunchy character, like the movie hero - just beat his own name pilot. As soon as he appeared in the squadron, there were no other options. It was one of my first missions as a squadron commander. After weeks of reviewing cases and quelling interagency fires, I finally sat down at the control panel. In the cockpit, I was only one of the pilots, and I had to worry only about the plane and the mission. I wanted to fly as often as possible, as boxing was the only place I could take a break from the burden of team service. After conducting a preliminary flight check, Han and I made sure that the aircraft is technically serviceable and ready to start the engine. Some elements of onboard equipment should be turned on, others - off. Starting the engine with an incorrect configuration of the elements can lead to its stop or exit from the flock of detection devices. Satisfied with the result, I turned on the radio transmitter. - Brigadier, ready to start the engine. Copy that. The technician went to the control panel on the sidewall of the aircraft, pressed a couple of buttons and waited. Propeller made first one turn, then the second, why the device shook, and began to spin. Sneezing a couple of times, the engine started. I've adjusted the position of the propeller regulator lever to get the best number of turns per minute to warm up the oil. Han turned on the microphone. - Brigadier, permission to activate the gondola. For some time we waited for the head of the service brigade to respond: - There is no threat to the eyes, I allow the supply of power to the ball. There was a theoretical possibility that a high-power laser in the aiming gondola could spontaneously turn on when it was activated. I personally have never heard of such incidents, but if this happened, the laser would burn all eyes in direct proximity. By the time Han had calibrated the targeting gondolas, the technicians had kept away from it at a safe distance. Checking the engine is the longest stage of pre-flight preparation. We couldn't take a taxi ride until the engine warmed up. When Predator 193 lit on the parking lot, I was tense. "Gabby," as this bird was nicknamed in the remont-service brigade, was a troubled child. Aircraft technicians, like pilots, have a tradition of giving their aircraft nicknames. Our commanders of the maintenance brigades assigned the names of important women to the Predators. I was wondering why "Gabby." It turned out that the name of the device was derived from the conditional technical designation GAB (ground abort), meaning a ban on takeoff due to malfunction. Gabby clearly didn't like flying. I liked piloting Audrey better. The plane was named in honor of the great actress Audrey Hepburn and was distinguished by the same grace in motion as her. Most of the problems we have arisen due to the fact that the Predator did not have protection from adverse atmospheric buildings. Planes are all day in the sky, and at the end of the flight, descending, fall into the wet air. The moisture contained in the air is condensed on overoxidized UAV devices. After landing, technicians refuel the aircraft with fuel and after a couple of hours, they send them back to the flight. When the drone rises to a higher altitude, the water accumulated in the instrument compartment freezes, since at an altitude of 6 thousand kilometers, the desert temperature can reach minus 35-40 degrees. The crew in the cabin begins to receive false warnings about the leakage of fuel or oil. The pilot returns the aircraft to base - and it turns out that the increase in ice led to the calibration of the response sensor. We tried to explain to the crews the nature of this problem, but to no avail. In the end, in this situation, it was necessary to land the device, recalibrate the problem instrument, after which again to raise the drone in the air. This led to the loss of precious time. On the other side, we had no choice. Crews of aircraft are in a difficult position, since they can lose the aircraft if they ignore any electronic warning.