Aurora Flight Sciences Corp.
Aurora Flight Sciences (a Boeing company) develops and demonstrates advanced aircraft, autonomous systems, propulsion solutions, and manufacturing processes. The organization conducts applied R&D, rapid prototyping, aircraft and autonomy flight testing, and composite manufacturing for government and commercial customers, with active programs in autonomy, eVTOL, long-endurance high-altitude platforms, counter-UAS, and machine-learning-enhanced system design.
Industries
N/A
Products
Odysseus (solar-powered high-altitude persistence platform)
Ultra-long-endurance, high-altitude aircraft designed for persistent station-keeping and climate/atmospheric observation using advanced lightweight structures and solar energy systems.
Centaur (optionally piloted aircraft system)
Optionally piloted aircraft retrofit system enabling piloted, unpiloted, and hybrid modes for flight testing, sensor evaluation, and autonomy experiments; supports remote taxi and autonomous mission execution.
Orion (long-endurance unmanned aircraft system)
Twin-engine high-endurance unmanned aircraft designed for long-duration missions with significant payload capacity and previously demonstrated world-record endurance flights.
AACUS (autonomous helicopter cargo/utility capability)
A sensor and software integration package enabling rotary-wing aircraft to autonomously perform cargo resupply missions including onboard obstacle detection, landing-site selection, and mission planning for unprepared environments.
PAV prototype (electric vertical takeoff and landing passenger vehicle)
eVTOL prototype used to evaluate autonomy, electric propulsion, transition phases between hover and forward flight, and advanced airframe/propulsion integration for urban air mobility research.
MIDAS (modular counter-UAS avionics set)
A modular avionics and payload suite designed for counter-UAS operations and low-collateral intercept demonstrations, adaptable to different interceptor platforms.
Odysseus (solar-powered high-altitude persistence platform)
Ultra-long-endurance, high-altitude aircraft designed for persistent station-keeping and climate/atmospheric observation using advanced lightweight structures and solar energy systems.
Centaur (optionally piloted aircraft system)
Optionally piloted aircraft retrofit system enabling piloted, unpiloted, and hybrid modes for flight testing, sensor evaluation, and autonomy experiments; supports remote taxi and autonomous mission execution.
Orion (long-endurance unmanned aircraft system)
Twin-engine high-endurance unmanned aircraft designed for long-duration missions with significant payload capacity and previously demonstrated world-record endurance flights.
AACUS (autonomous helicopter cargo/utility capability)
A sensor and software integration package enabling rotary-wing aircraft to autonomously perform cargo resupply missions including onboard obstacle detection, landing-site selection, and mission planning for unprepared environments.
PAV prototype (electric vertical takeoff and landing passenger vehicle)
eVTOL prototype used to evaluate autonomy, electric propulsion, transition phases between hover and forward flight, and advanced airframe/propulsion integration for urban air mobility research.
MIDAS (modular counter-UAS avionics set)
A modular avionics and payload suite designed for counter-UAS operations and low-collateral intercept demonstrations, adaptable to different interceptor platforms.
Services
Advanced composite manufacturing and assembly
Prototype-to-production fabrication and integration of composite airframe components, robotic manufacturing, modular assembly, and sub-assembly production services.
Autonomy software development and integration
Development of autonomy stacks, behavioral frameworks, multi-vehicle coordination software, AI-enabled mission planning, and human-machine teaming interfaces.
Flight test operations and validation
Simulated and live flight testing, hardware-in-the-loop simulation, incremental safety-first testing, and operational test support to validate aircraft and autonomy systems.
System integration for electrified propulsion demonstrations
Airframe modification, nacelle and propulsion system integration, flight deck interface software development, and aircraft-level performance analysis for hybrid/electric demonstrators.
Applied research partnerships and program execution
Execution of government-funded R&D programs including conceptual design, phased development, and transition activities in collaboration with agencies such as DARPA, ONR, and other defense organizations.
Advanced composite manufacturing and assembly
Prototype-to-production fabrication and integration of composite airframe components, robotic manufacturing, modular assembly, and sub-assembly production services.
Autonomy software development and integration
Development of autonomy stacks, behavioral frameworks, multi-vehicle coordination software, AI-enabled mission planning, and human-machine teaming interfaces.
Flight test operations and validation
Simulated and live flight testing, hardware-in-the-loop simulation, incremental safety-first testing, and operational test support to validate aircraft and autonomy systems.
System integration for electrified propulsion demonstrations
Airframe modification, nacelle and propulsion system integration, flight deck interface software development, and aircraft-level performance analysis for hybrid/electric demonstrators.
Applied research partnerships and program execution
Execution of government-funded R&D programs including conceptual design, phased development, and transition activities in collaboration with agencies such as DARPA, ONR, and other defense organizations.
Expertise Areas
- Autonomy and human-machine teaming
- Experimental and prototype aircraft development
- Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems
- Advanced composite manufacturing and assembly
Key Technologies
- Autonomy software and behavioral frameworks
- Machine learning and AI for surrogate modeling
- Active flow control (AFC)
- Distributed electric propulsion