Hollywood actor Reginald Denny built the first mass-produced US military drone

British-born actor Reginald Denny developed an early military drone after building and selling model aircraft in Hollywood.

In 1938, he demonstrated a radio-controlled prototype to the US Army, which ordered 53 improved aircraft the following year.

The Army named those planes the OQ-1, then designated a later model the OQ-2.

Before drones, the military used fabric targets towed behind planes for anti-aircraft practice, but they flew too slowly and could not make evasive moves.

Radio-controlled target drones offered more realistic training and reduced the danger to pilots towing targets.

Denny's Radioplane Company supplied 14,891 target drones during World War II, including models for the US Army and Navy.

Denny sold his interest in the company in 1948.