The use of air vehicles as reconnaissance platforms dates back before the invention of the airplane to the use of hot air balloons by the armies of nineteenth century Earth. The advent of the airplane increased the usefulness of aerial reconnaissance. The spy satellites of the early twenty-first century, with their detailed photographs and relative invulnerability, temporarily reduced the importance of aerial reconnaissance, and spy planes came to be used simply as a back-up system if the satellites somehow failed. By the Star League era, which its wealth of satellites and other space-born industries, aerial spy planes had become extinct. After the collapse of the Star League, with its satellites shot down by war, civilian planes and their civilian pilots were pressed into military service to watch for enemies, with mixed results.
         The Federated Suns finally answered the need for aerial reconnaissance in 2888 with the creation of the Boomerang Spotter Plane. It was the first plane designed expressly for aerial reconnaissance in the Successor-States era and after seeing the plane in action the Draconis Combine answered with their Shuriken.

         The Shuriken's most obvious feature is its short wings. Slanted back, the wings make the plane capable of moving fast at need. Two forewings flow back into the main wings. They promote the craft's control and stability at lower speeds, making it almost impervious to stalls.
         Two vertical stabilizers sit to either side of the pilot's cockpit. When in use, the entire stabilizer pivots instead of just the trailing edge, as on other airplanes. This, coupled with the stabilizer's placement in the swift airflow caused by the large propeller, makes the Shuriken extremely maneuverable at slow speeds.
         The engine, a modified prop-jet design, is mounted just below the cockpit floor. The propellar is used at slow speeds, allowing the Shuriken to prowl the skies in near silence. When launching and landing, or when speed is the primary concern, the propellar folds up to keep it from shredding as the main jet engine accelerates it past the speed of sound. The Shuriken's engine channels the waste emissions through two slits on the upper edge of the wing between the two vertical stabilizers and the cockpit. The propeller then disperses the heat when in use, making it difficult to trace the plane via infrared tracking devices. The large propeller is variable-pitched, reducing noise. The pitch also allows the pilot to feather the prop when he wishes to glide.
         The Shuriken's cameras and tracking systems works in infrared as well as standard light. The cameras see clearly even at night, enabling the Shuriken to function in all but the worst weather conditions. The two cameras can work independently, locking on to two separate targets and relaying the information back.
         The Shuriken carries no weapons, though they have sometimes been used to carry bombs or missiles hanging beneath their fuselage into battle. Enemies of the Dragon have learned over the centuries to be wary of the small planes as they can be threats at any time, whether by causing damage or by calling in those who can do it for them.

         The Shuriken Spotter Plane has long been used on every world ever a part of the Draconis Combine. Used when AeroSpace Fighters are too precious to spare for reconnaissance, which is most of the time, the fact that it can be disassembled quickly and stowed in the holds of even the smallest DropShip allows 'Mech units down to the company level to take advantage of the Shuriken.
         Wakazashi Enterprises builds the official Shuriken, though they have licensed the design to many worlds. They can be seen throughout the Draconis Rifts, and even on Draconis worlds currently independent or claimed by their enemies.