Central European time from Manching Air Base and climbed to a ceiling of 54, 000 feet within military controlled airspace, far above and at a safe distance from civilian air traffic.

ENGADGET: Northrop Grumman, Cassidian run Euro Hawk UAV through its first full test flight (video)

Without one, flying to Iran the direct way through American-controlled Iraqi airspace would be fraught with danger.

ECONOMIST: Be very afraid, please

But for now its airspace remains tightly controlled by the armed forces, and owners of private planes have to fly through a smog of bureaucracy.

ECONOMIST: Corporate jets