A cylindrical active flying object for determining measurement data, the flying object being capable of being towed through the air by a powered aircraft by means of a carrying cable, which can be latched in the middle region of the flying object, at least comprising • sensors (06, 12) for determining the measurement data and the flight position of the flying object, • two wings (16, 19) arranged in the middle region of the flying object, • a plurality of airfoils arranged in the rear region of the flying object radially about its longitudinal axis and comprising • electrical adjusting devices for opposite first airfoils and second airfoils, wherein the adjusting device of the two first airfoils is embodied as elevator and the adjusting device of the two second airfoils is embodied as rudder, characterized in that • the two wings (16, 19) arranged in the middle region of the flying object are embodied in an adjustable manner to change the vertical flight position of the flying object and are connected to electrical adjusting devices, which are embodied as aileron, • provision being made for a computer-supported control device, which has an automatic flight control system, at least for self-acting control of the vertical flight position of the flying object, and which comprises a malfunction module, which is activated in response to a malfunction, by means of which at least the electrical adjusting devices for the wings (16, 19) are placed into a non-deflected initial position, • the electrical adjusting devices for the opposite first airfoils and second airfoils are also controlled by the automatic flight control system, • the automatic flight control system comprises an evasion module, which is embodied to automatically adjust the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) in such a manner that the towed flying object avoids obstacles determined by the sensors with a predetermined measurement frequency by optimally changing the flight position of said flying object, • the automatic flight control system comprises a stabilisation module for flight stabilization of the flying object, which is embodied to automatically adjust the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) in such a manner that the flight position of the towed flying object is stabilized, wherein, when retrieving the flying object underneath the aircraft, the measurement frequency of the sensors is increased as a function of the distance between the flying object and the aircraft, • the malfunction module comprises an electromechanical malfunction system, which is activated automatically in response to a failure of its electrical power supply and by means of which the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) are moved into their non-deflected initial position and are locked therein, and that • provision is made for batteries for the electrical power supply. • sensors (06, 12) for determining the measurement data and the flight position of the flying object, • two wings (16, 19) arranged in the middle region of the flying object, • a plurality of airfoils arranged in the rear region of the flying object radially about its longitudinal axis and comprising • electrical adjusting devices for opposite first airfoils and second airfoils, wherein the adjusting device of the two first airfoils is embodied as elevator and the adjusting device of the two second airfoils is embodied as rudder, • the two wings (16, 19) arranged in the middle region of the flying object are embodied in an adjustable manner to change the vertical flight position of the flying object and are connected to electrical adjusting devices, which are embodied as aileron, • provision being made for a computer-supported control device, which has an automatic flight control system, at least for self-acting control of the vertical flight position of the flying object, and which comprises a malfunction module, which is activated in response to a malfunction, by means of which at least the electrical adjusting devices for the wings (16, 19) are placed into a non-deflected initial position, • the electrical adjusting devices for the opposite first airfoils and second airfoils are also controlled by the automatic flight control system, • the automatic flight control system comprises an evasion module, which is embodied to automatically adjust the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) in such a manner that the towed flying object avoids obstacles determined by the sensors with a predetermined measurement frequency by optimally changing the flight position of said flying object, • the automatic flight control system comprises a stabilisation module for flight stabilization of the flying object, which is embodied to automatically adjust the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) in such a manner that the flight position of the towed flying object is stabilized, wherein, when retrieving the flying object underneath the aircraft, the measurement frequency of the sensors is increased as a function of the distance between the flying object and the aircraft, • the malfunction module comprises an electromechanical malfunction system, which is activated automatically in response to a failure of its electrical power supply and by means of which the ailerons, elevators and rudders (21, 27, 28) are moved into their non-deflected initial position and are locked therein, and that • provision is made for batteries for the electrical power supply.