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Aurora Flight Sciences

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Experimental Aircraft | Advanced Manufacturing | Autonomy | Flight Testing United States of America
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Aurora Flight Sciences

Experimental Aircraft | Advanced Manufacturing | Autonomy | Flight Testing

9950 Wakeman Dr Manassas, VA 20110 United States of America Regional Offices
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Aurora Flight Sciences is a leading developer of cutting-edge aircraft and aerospace technologies. For over 35 years, we’ve created innovative solutions that span the state of the art in aircraft design, autonomy, propulsion, and composite manufacturing.

Our prototyping and R&D capabilities solve problems for customers in the global defense, government, and commercial sectors. We manufacture mission-ready aircraft components; and we design, build, and fly experimental aircraft that demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.

Experimental and Prototype Aircraft

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

Aurora X-65 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 flight.

Aurora 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.

Experimental and Prototype AircraftWe can offer:

  • Clean-sheet design, build, and fly programs for new aircraft concepts
  • Design, integration and test services for incorporating new technologies into an existing aircraft.
  • Build-to-print of components or complete airframes for customer-designed air or space craft

We’ve successfully delivered cutting-edge programs that demonstrate novel aircraft configurations, electric propulsion, vertical lift, advanced flight controls, autonomous capabilities, and robotic manufacturing.

Learn more: Advanced & Experimental Aircraft

Advanced Manufacturing

Expert Aerosystem Design, Prototyping, and Production

Aurora provides consistent and reliable components, sub-assemblies, and airframes using the latest technologies in composite materials and robotic manufacturing in AS9100 third party certified facilities.

We specialize in complex design, build-to-print, rapid prototyping, and production of air vehicles, components, and sub-assemblies. We are experts in aerospace-grade composite materials used in air vehicle skins, nacelles, doors, wings, fuselages, and more.

In addition, we work with our customers to:

  • Develop advanced materials and manufacturing process technologies
  • Leverage automation to scale technologies and transition them into production
  • Deliver quality complex composite structures and assemblies on time

Advanced Aerosystem ManufacturingAurora’s advanced capabilities in manufacturing automation and robotics reduce production costs while ensuring quality, performance, and safety.

Through several key technologies, Aurora can meet customer requirements for both rapid prototype and production-scale manufacturing of aerospace-grade components and sub-assemblies.

Learn more: Advanced Manufacturing

Flight Operations & Testing

Integration and flight testing of innovative technologies

Aurora’s dedicated flight operations team tests novel air vehicles, payload sensors, autonomous behaviors, and other technologies to ensure success under challenging real-world conditions. With a variety of capabilities and extensive operations expertise, we can efficiently provide the data you need to move your program forward.

Flight Operations and flight testingOur capabilities include:

  • System integration engineering for autonomy, propulsion, and payloads
  • Full-time certified test pilots and crew
  • Test fleet: Centaur remotely piloted and DA-42 turbo-prop aircraft; Group 1 and 2 drones
  • Hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILSIM) for efficient develop-test cycles

Learn more: Flight Operations & Testing

Articles

Latest
Aurora Flight Sciences Advances VTOL Autonomy Through Integrated Testing

Aurora Flight Sciences applies simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight evaluation to support the development, validation, and risk reduction of advanced autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft systems

May 27, 2026
Aurora Flight Sciences Supports Wisk Gen 6 First Flight with Engineering Expertise

Aurora Flight Sciences supported the first flight of Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 autonomous, all-electric passenger aircraft, providing engineering expertise across a range of technical disciplines

Apr 14, 2026
Aurora Demonstrates AI-Enabled Control Systems for Enhanced Maritime Safety

Aurora Flight Sciences demonstrates its AI-enabled FALCON control system under DARPA’s LINC program, achieving up to 94% safe-zone performance and 61% faster recovery during simulated maritime hazards

Feb 23, 2026
Aurora Flight Sciences Advances Practical Autonomy for Next-Generation Aircraft

Aurora Flight Sciences outlines how decades of autonomy research, flight testing, and simulation are combined to develop practical autonomous flight systems for next-generation aircraft operating in shared airspace

Jan 15, 2026
Aurora Flight Sciences & DARPA Advance X-65 Development to Test Active Flow Control

A new experimental aircraft aims to replace traditional mechanical flaps with air jets to revolutionize aerodynamic efficiency

Nov 21, 2025
Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulator Accelerates Autonomy Development & Testing

Aurora Flight Sciences has enhanced its Centaur Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulator to advance autonomous flight system testing, improving efficiency and reliability before aircraft reach flight trials

Nov 10, 2025
Aurora Flight Sciences Develops Adaptive Human-Machine Interface for UAS Operations

Aurora Flight Sciences is building FARSIGHT, an adaptive human-machine interface that uses cognitive sensing and autonomous algorithms to tailor information delivery and to support pilots in managing multiple drones

Oct 31, 2025
Aurora Enhances U.S. Army Capabilities Through Launched Effects Collaboration

Aurora Flight Sciences and Uvision USA sign MoU to integrate loitering munitions with Aurora autonomy, fast-tracking fieldable launched effects for the U.S. Army

Oct 09, 2025
Mississippi State Tests Tactical eVTOL Drone for First Responder Use

Mississippi State’s Raspet Lab is testing Aurora Flight Sciences SKIRON-X to advance Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, enhancing first responder efficiency and safety in emergency missions

Sep 29, 2025
High-Frequency Testing Infrastructure Accelerates Autonomous UAS Capabilities

Aurora Flight Sciences uses its ATLAS infrastructure to streamline autonomy development through layered simulation, hardware integration, and high-frequency flight testing on UAS platforms

Jul 22, 2025
Aurora Contributes Technical Capabilities to University Aerospace Projects

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, is participating in NASA’s University Leadership Initiative, contributing tools, expertise, and testing capabilities to university-led aerospace research projects

Jun 23, 2025
The Evolution of Aurora Flight Sciences’ sUAS Platforms

Aurora Flight Sciences has spent more than ten years refining sUAS capabilities, and its evolving platforms now support a broad range of ISR missions

Apr 17, 2025
Aurora’s Energy Lab Pushing Limits of Battery & Fuel Cell Tech

Explore how Aurora Flight Science's advanced energy lab is enhancing battery efficiency, extending flight endurance, and revolutionizing fuel cell technology

Feb 06, 2025
Aurora & SkyGrid Advance Airspace Management Solutions for UAVs

Aurora Flight Sciences and SkyGrid are set to enhance Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) by collaborating on systems for integrating UAVs into the national airspace

Jan 14, 2025
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

Oct 23, 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

Sep 02, 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

Jun 14, 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

May 22, 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

Mar 28, 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

Jan 26, 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,...

Aug 28, 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

May 09, 2023

Videos

Latest
Aurora Flight Sciences Demonstrates AI Control on USVs

Aurora Flight Sciences is a leading developer of cutting-edge aircraft and aerospace technologies. For over 35 years, we’ve created innovative solutions that span the state of the art in aircraft design, autonomy, propulsion, and composite manufacturing. Our prototyping and R&D capabilities solve problems for customers in the global defense, government, and commercial sectors. We manufacture mission-ready aircraft components; and we design, build, and fly experimental aircraft that demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.

Centaur HILSim Enables Ground Testing of Autonomous Flight Technologies
Aurora Flight Sciences: Engineering the Future of Flight
Aurora Flight Sciences Demonstrates X-65 Uncrewed Active Flow Control Aircraft
Aurora Flight Sciences Demonstrates Manufacturing Automation & Robotics
Regional Offices & Locations
Aurora Headquarters United States of America 9950 Wakeman Dr Manassas, VA 20110 +1 703.369.3633 Contact 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 Website
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