#DYK Our Skate #sUAS debuted at Farnborough in 2010 with a compact, electric-powered design that fit in a standard military backpack. Deployed in 2013, Skate launched vertically, hovered, and transitioned to high-speed forward #flight.
#ICYMI The X-65 fuselage has arrived! Our teams are now integrating electrical, propulsion, and AFC systems into the fuselage in Virginia, while wing and tail manufacturing is advancing in West Virginia. Stay tuned for updates as we progress toward first flight, planned for 2027.
This #EngineersWeek, we're celebrating the engineers across Aurora who are making the future of flight a reality. Hear from Katie Martins, a software engineer in our flight simulation lab in Massachusetts who is helping develop advanced #autonomy to assist pilots in #flight.
In mid-January, Aurora completed the X-65 fuselage at our manufacturing facility in West Virginia. Working with @darpa.mil, we are building X-65 to demonstrate active flow control. Follow us as we progress toward first flight, currently planned for 2027.
As part of @darpa.mil's LINC program, we demonstrated our AI-enabled vehicle control architecture & showed that the tech improved safety when operating in challenging conditions. Time to regain vehicle control after an induced hazard dropped by 61% on average. www.aurora.aero/2026/02/19/a...
Our Bridgeport, WV facility is more than a hub for advanced composite manufacturing. It’s also a place where family ties strengthen collaboration and innovation. Learn more about a few of the families that reflect Aurora's spirit of teamwork, growth, and community. www.aurora.aero/2026/02/03/f...
Our GoldenEye-50 (GE-50) was designed to investigate patented free-wing technology and autonomous flight. The #VTOL #aircraft first flew in 2004, and in 2007, the FAA granted Aurora three experimental airworthiness certificates, allowing GE-50 to fly in the National Airspace System.
We recently hosted Boeing flight test engineers as a part of Boeing's Flight Test Bootcamp, where students worked with our Centaur OPA to gain experience with unmanned #aircraft, #autonomy, and remote-control operations. Read more: www.aurora.aero/2026/01/26/f...
One of our most-read articles highlights the progress on the X-65 experimental aircraft under DARPA's Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program to gather flight test data on active flow control. Read it here: www.aurora.aero/2025/11/20/r...
#AIAASciTech is underway! Come visit us at Boeing Booth #301 to meet our team and learn more about our X-plane programs, research and development efforts, and current job opportunities.
Happy New Year! This month we're looking back at some of our most popular articles from 2025.
First up: the delivery of critical components for NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Gateway lunar space station.
www.aurora.aero/2025/06/24/a...
As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to thank our employees for their dedication, not only to their work but also to making an impact in our local communities. Thanks to our team for showing what it means to care, connect, and give back.
In 2014, our Orion medium-altitude long-endurance UAS completed an 80-hour flight, setting a record for the longest flight duration for a remotely controlled UAS. The aircraft flew with 1,000 lb. of ballast and landed with enough fuel remaining to fly for an additional 37 hours.
Since 1989, we've built on our experience in #autonomy, aircraft design, and flight testing, transforming advanced research into autonomous #flight systems. Learn more about the intelligent systems that will make aircraft safer, smarter and more adaptable. www.aurora.aero/2025/12/09/e...
#ICYMI, here’s a sneak peek into the manufacturing of X-65, a @darpa.mil experimental aircraft designed to demonstrate active flow control (AFC). Read more about the program’s progress here: www.aurora.aero/2025/11/20/r...
X-65, an experimental aircraft designed to demonstrate active flow control, is taking shape at Aurora’s West Virginia facility. Working with @darpa.mil, we are in the process of completing the fuselage in January 2026. Read more about the program’s progress: www.aurora.aero/2025/11/20/r...
#DYK Aurora autonomy has flown aboard the International Space Station. The Synchronized Position Hold, Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) project, a collaboration with MIT, provided a reusable zero gravity platform to test #autonomous technologies for use in #satellites.
We're developing high-performance energy systems that will enable the next generation of aviation. Inside our advanced energy lab, #engineers design, build, and test custom batteries and fuel cell systems tailored specifically for #aerospace applications. www.aurora.aero/2025/01/28/a...
Over the past 15 years, we've been driving #innovation in #sUAS by developing cutting-edge platforms that push the boundaries of endurance, #autonomy, and adaptability. Learn more about the evolution of these platforms and our capabilities: www.aurora.aero/2025/03/04/e...
#DYK In 2016, our hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) demonstrator, XV-24A LightningStrike, won DARPA’s VTOL X-Plane competition. The subscale vehicle demonstrator's design featured 18 ducted fans in a large wing and six more in a forward canard.
At Aurora, we don’t just build aerosystems; we reimagine how they’re made. This #ManufacturingDay, we're celebrating our dedicated manufacturing technicians, engineers, and support staff. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to advance the future of flight ✈️
Aurora is revolutionizing human-machine collaboration by enabling autonomous systems to more closely approximate human interactions. The result? Smarter, more effective partnerships where humans and machines tackle high-stakes challenges together. www.aurora.aero/2025/09/30/g...
Using SKIRON-X, a Group 2 #drone, as a test platform, a team of researchers at @msstate.bsky.social's Raspet Flight Research Laboratory set off to develop a manual to help first responders navigate the FAA's #BVLOS waiver process. Learn more: www.aurora.aero/2025/09/23/m...
We are accelerating #innovation in #flight through specialized tools and processes for the rapid production of low-cost, high-performance aircraft. Visit our website to learn how these unique capabilities can support your most critical missions. www.aurora.aero/applied-rese...
This summer, we welcomed 29 interns across our U.S. and international sites, engaging the students in hands-on roles while contributing to real-world projects that advance the future of #flight. Meet five of our 2025 interns and learn more about their experiences this summer.
When your mission demands speed and agility, your equipment shouldn't hold you back.
With SKIRON-X, you can go anywhere and launch in under 10 minutes. Simple to setup and compact enough to be transported in a standard pickup truck, it's easy to deploy wherever your mission takes you.
Our Cambridge, MA office stands at the gateway to the @mit.edu campus and offers a spectacular view of the Boston skyline. Here, our long-standing collaboration with MIT drives cutting-edge projects that advance the future of #flight. #innovation #MIT #engineering
Our SKIRON-X team recently completed a formal #flight test validation in support of a customer program by demonstrating rapid deployment capabilities and completing an endurance flight of over 3 hours with a 7lb payload. Learn more about the #sUAS platform: www.aurora.aero/small-uas/
The sky isn't the limit —it's just the beginning. 🛰️
While our legacy is rooted in aircraft and autonomous systems, our engineering capabilities extend well beyond Earth. We recently delivered next-generation pressure relief valves for #NASA’s HALO module, part of the Gateway lunar #spacestation.
Some take coffee breaks. We take #flight breaks. 🛩️
Yes, there is a flight simulator in the breakroom at our headquarters. Whether we're testing out a maneuver or enjoying the view, it's a reminder of what connects us: a love of flying and the drive to push the boundaries of what's possible.
