Canadair CL-227 Sentinel

The CL-227 is a remote-controlled drone, a pilotless reconaissance aircraft.

It displays a distinctively unusual bulbous hourglass profile. Lift is provided by a paired set of helicopter rotors emanating from the waist of the system.

The prototype of the CL-227 was designed in 1977, and was made available to NATO allied clients in the early 1980's. In the late 1990's it was replaced by an updated version, the CL-327.

While designed purely for intelligence gathering, it's strange and menacing physical appearance inspired Science Fiction writer Bruce Sterling to portray it as an assassination device in the novel 'Islands in the Net'.