The Remote Controlled research staff from left to right are: Richard C. Eldredge, Dale Reed, James O. Newman and Bob McDonald. In support of the M2 lifting body program in the early 1960s, Dale Reed had built a number of small lifting body shapes and drop tested them from a radio controlled mothership. By late 1968, 'Mother' had made over 120 launch drops. Next, Reed devised a program in which NASA research pilot Milt Thompson could remotely pilot 'Mother' using an 8-ball attitude indicator from the ground.