[Robert Coats]

I have questions about remotely piloted (military) aircraft, like the MQ-9 Reaper and the RQ-4 Global Hawk for examples.

From what I understand, the remote pilot (and crew?) are in a steel box somewhere on an AFB in the USA. Is the actual RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) at that some location? Or, is it physically launched and recovered at some overseas base close to the mission area? It would seem impractical to launch an RPA from a base in the USA and then take many, many hours to arrive on-station for the mission.

Does the remote pilot execute the takeoff and/or landing? Or is this automated by the main flight computer/autopilot?

I would suspect maybe these parts of the mission are run off a computer/autopilot, and the remote human pilot is there during the on-station time...?

Or, is there a second pilot at the overseas field who can actually see/control the aircraft during takeoff and landing?

Finally, I understand the US Navy is deploying RPA/unmanned tankers to provide in-flight refueling for the manned, carrier-based aircraft....I wonder if any RPA/unmanned aircraft are able to refuel in flight? If so, do they connect to another RPA/unmanned, or a crewed tanker?