Programs

Tomorrow’s Technology, Delivered Today

Aurora Flight Sciences executes programs in the development of advanced aircraft and enabling technologies. Customers choose Aurora to deliver advancements in autonomy, sustainability and electric propulsion, urban air mobility, and unmanned aerial systems of all sizes.

We are engineering the future of flight.

Experimental Aircraft

Aurora designs, builds, and flies novel aircraft to prove-out new technologies at the cutting edge.

  • Completing various phases of X-plane development for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

  • Supporting NASA demonstrator programs that aim to make the future of flight more sustainable.

  • Flight testing new technologies and autonomous operations.

Autonomy

Aurora is advancing autonomous decision-making capabilities and human-machine interaction.

  • Human-Machine Teaming improves safety, enables new capabilities, and increases trust in autonomy.

  • Advanced perception technologies enable autonomous flight across platforms from small UAS to urban air mobility.

  • Guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) forms the core of the operation and integration of autonomous air vehicles.

  • Early-stage technology development programs drive innovation at the cutting edge of AI and machine learning.

Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems

Aurora’s sUAS lineup offers autonomous functionality, ease of operations, and flexibility to meet our customers’ needs.

  • SKIRON-X, a fixed-wing eVTOL for long-duration ISR missions.

  • AI-enabled quadcopters for testing new technologies and autonomous operations.

  • System integration services for the US Army’s launched effects program.

Sustainability

Together, we are working to make the future of flight more sustainable through improvements in fuel economy and cleaner sources of power. Programs include:

  • Odysseus, a solar-powered aircraft designed to deliver missions from the stratosphere
  • Developing and flying electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, and conducting research & development in battery technology
  • Creating novel structures that reduce drag and weight and increase efficiency for tomorrow’s aircraft

Centaur Aircraft System

Centaur is a flexible, multi-role system for R&D, testing, and training operations. A cost-effective solution, Centaur offers:

  • Surrogate uncrewed operations, flown from a ground station with an on-board safety pilot, to enable cost-effective flight testing in the National Airspace System
  • Large, flexible payload capacity and advanced automation capabilities.
  • A highly reliable platform with a triplex flight control system, dual redundant primary flight controls, and very high fuel efficiency.

Urban Air Mobility

Aurora is committed to the development of aircraft and technologies that will lead to safe, sustainable, and seamless mobility. We are executing projects at the cutting edge of urban air mobility such as:

  • Supporting Wisk as they design, certify, and bring a self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to market

  • Studying the future of personal urban air mobility and the extension of urban traffic into the airspace​​

  • Leveraging our Passenger Air Vehicle prototype to inform design decisions and further research in autonomy and electric propulsion

Let us take your program from vision to mission.

We help clients across government and commercial institutions to advance the future of flight.