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Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) | Autonomy | Experimental Aircraft | Flight Testing

United States of America
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Aurora Flight Sciences
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) | Autonomy | Experimental Aircraft | Flight Testing
9950 Wakeman Dr Manassas, VA 20110 United States of America Regional offices
+1 703.369.3633
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Aurora Flight Sciences is a leading developer of cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aviation technologies. We have a proven and varied history of creating innovative solutions that span the state of the art in autonomous systems, propulsion engineering, manufacturing and a range of other disciplines.

Our products and our R&D capabilities solve problems for customers in the global commercial, defense and government sectors. We are a trusted supplier to Tier 1 aerospace and aircraft manufacturers, providing high-quality components and sub-assemblies. We offer mission-ready small unmanned aircraft systems, and we design, build, and fly experimental aircraft that demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.

Skiron-X Small Unmanned Aerial System

Group 2 UAS with VTOL capability & ISR payload

ISR UAV

The Skiron Expeditionary sUAS (Skiron-X) is a Group 2 UAS with electric VTOL capabilities for versatile maneuvering as well as long-endurance flight. Optimized for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), this small unmanned aircraft can be set up and launched by a two-person crew in 15 minutes and carries out missions at undetectable altitudes.

Group 2 UASThe aircraft features a modular nosecone payload bay that can be equipped with an ISR-focused EO/IR camera or a custom payload integration. With a flight endurance of up to 180 minutes and long-range military-grade RF communications, the Skiron-X sUAS is well-suited for a variety of operations.

More information: Skiron-X Small UAS >

Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft

OPA system for ISR and R&D

remotely piloted aircraft systems

The Centaur is a multi-mission optionally-piloted aircraft optimized for multi-domain ISR and designed to support piloted, remotely piloted, or hybrid flight operations. Based on a highly fuel-efficient twin engine aircraft design, the Centaur OPA can fly for more than 16 hours at altitudes of up to 25,000 feet.

Centaur Optionally Piloted AircraftThe aircraft can be equipped with a wide variety of payloads, including EO/IR cameras, SAR (synthetic aperture radar) and multispectral sensors. It can be used for research and development and flight testing of new technologies with its FAA Airworthiness Certificate that allows it access to the National Airspace System (NAS).

More information: Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft >

Advanced & Experimental Aircraft

Cutting-edge design, manufacture and flight testing for the next generation of aviation

prototype aircraft

Designing, building, and flying advanced aircraft is at the heart of Aurora Flight Sciences. We bring together a unique combination of expertise across engineering, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, and flight operations, taking cutting-edge manned and unmanned aircraft designs from initial ideas through to full flight.

Advanced and Experimental AircraftAurora has a long and proven history of creating experimental and prototype aircraft for a wide range of aerospace and defense clients, including NASA and DARPA. The SunLight Eagle platform completed the first solar-powered UAS flights in the U.S. national airspace, and Orion set the world record for the longest flight duration achieved by a remotely-controlled UAV. In 2019, we flew our first unmanned eVTOL passenger air vehicle.

We are continuing to innovate with programs that demonstrate more sustainable propulsion systems, advanced flight controls, maritime heavy-air-lift, and high-speed vertical lift.

More information: Advanced & Experimental Aircraft

Products
Skiron-X Small Unmanned Aerial System

Group 2 ISR UAV with eVTOL capability
Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA)

Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) drone for ISR and R&D
Documents
SKIRON-X Product Overview
Centaur Product Overview
Articles
Latest Vertical Lift X-Plane with Fan-in-Wing Technology in Development Aurora Flight Sciences is designing a vertical lift X-plane that utilizes fan-in-wing technology, developing an unmanned demonstrator to achieve high-speed, runway-independent mobility in contested environments 23 Oct 2024
Hydrogen-Powered sUAS Completes Long-Endurance Flight Test Aurora Flight Sciences' fuel-cell-powered SKIRON-XLE has completed a 7-hour flight test, demonstrating its long-endurance capabilities for BVLOS operations 02 Sep 2024
Vehicle Control: Advancing Adaptive Technology Aurora Flight Sciences is advancing its FALCON control architecture for Phase 1 of DARPA’s LINC program, aiming to maintain safe operation in unpredictable conditions 01 Aug 2024
New Long-Range sUAS Powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cell The SKIRON Expeditionary small UAS product line from Aurora Flight Sciences has a new addition, purpose-designed for long range reconnaissance and powered by a hydrogen fuel cell 02 Jul 2024
In-Air Data Collection Completed with Centaur Optionally Piloted Aircraft The Centaur optionally piloted aircraft (OPA) from Aurora Flight Sciences completed flight tests in the National Airspace System (NAS), equipped with an EO/IR camera, maritime surveillance radar, and Automatic Identification System payloads 14 Jun 2024
Preliminary Design Phase Begins for Vertical-Lift X-Plane The low-drag, fan-in-wing X-plane from Aurora Flight Sciences will begin a preliminary design review, integrating a blended wing body platform and combining VTOL with impressive speed 22 May 2024
Successful Virtual Conditions Testing for Adaptive Control Architecture Aurora Flight Sciences’ “Fast Adaptation and Learning for Control Online” (FALCON) control architecture, which can be fully integrated or function both as an advisor and aid, was put to the test using autonomous USVs in a simulated incident 10 Apr 2024
Aurora Provides sUAS to Validate eVTOL Model Aurora Swiss Aerospace has provided the ZHAW School of Engineering with sUAS technology to collate data for a future-shaping eVTOL model 28 Mar 2024
Aurora’s X-Plane Progresses Through Preliminary DARPA Testing The vehicle will demonstrate heavy-air-lift capabilities from the sea and operate efficiently in ground effect at high sea states, using low-cost manufacturing and unique design features 26 Jan 2024
Manufacturing to Start on Aurora Flight Sciences’ Full-Scale X-Plane The X-65 is configured to be modular, featuring replaceable outboard wings and swappable active flow control (AFC) effectors, which allows for future testing of additional AFC designs 05 Jan 2024
Aurora Flight Sciences Establishes Legacy of Innovation Aurora Flight Sciences has released an article discussing its legacy of innovation, including development of an autonomous stratospheric research aircraft,... 28 Aug 2023
Development of Adaptive Control Architecture for USVs A platform-agnostic, computationally lightweight online learning and adaptive control architecture, Aurora's Falcon solution can detect destabilization quickly and reconstitute control online for safe and continued operation 12 Jul 2023
Field Testing the Newest sUAS from Aurora Flight Sciences Aurora has demonstrated the simple deployment and three-hour flight endurance of its SKIRON-X hybrid VTOL fixed-wing sUAS 09 May 2023
Aurora Flight Sciences Advances in DARPA Active Flow Control Program DARPA’s goal is to develop and fly a demonstrator aircraft without using external mechanical flight controls 20 Jan 2023
Aurora Flight Sciences Provides UAS & OPA Systems for Commerce & Defense Aurora's unmanned and optionally-piloted aircraft are designed for ISR, data gathering and counter-UAS 21 Dec 2022
Aurora Receives Funding to Design Active Flow Control X-Plane The DARPA program award funds detailed engineering design for a full-scale X-plane to demonstrate the benefits of active flow control, and includes an executable option to build and fly the aircraft 12 Dec 2022
New Fixed-Wing eVTOL sUAS Launched for Airborne ISR Missions  Aurora Flight Sciences’ SKIRON-X is a Group 2 sUAS that combines simple operation of an eVTOL configuration with the longer range and endurance of a fixed-wing design 04 Nov 2022
Aurora Develops Scalable Methods to Enhance ML Systems Under the DARPA Enabling Confidence program, Aurora will develop scalable methods for incorporating uncertainty from sensors and environments into ML system outputs 17 Oct 2022
Open Autonomy Architecture Demonstrated for Manned-Unmanned Teaming Aurora Flight Sciences developed an onboard autonomy framework and a prototype platform abstraction layer for Boeing's demonstration of a new open autonomy architecture for manned-unmanned teaming with MQ-25 06 Sep 2022
Improved MIDAS C-UAS Successfully Tested MIDAS is an AI-enabled, multi-rotor sUAS outfitted with optical sensors and a customized payload that can defeat multiple small UAS targets per flight 25 Apr 2022
Aurora Flight Tests Autonomy Technologies Aurora Flight Sciences has released an article detailing the integration of detect and avoid and navigation technologies into real aircraft... 10 Jan 2022
+ Load More Articles
Videos
Latest USV Adaptive Control Architecture: Simulation Trials
Full-Scale Active Flow Control X-Plane Begins Manufacturing
Regional Offices & Locations
Aurora Headquarters United States of America 9950 Wakeman Dr Manassas, VA 20110 +1 703.369.3633 Contact Office Contact Website
Aerospace & Autonomy Center United States of America 314 Main St, 17th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142 +1 617.500.4800 Website
Advanced Manufacturing United States of America 200 Aurora Way Columbus, MS 39701 +1 662.328.8227 Website
Advanced Manufacturing United States of America 3000 East Benedum Industrial Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330 +1 304.842.8100 Website
Aurora Swiss Aerospace Switzerland Baselstrasse 61A, 6003 Luzern, Switzerland +41-41-248-00-40 Contact Office Website