Aurora Notches More DARPA Funding for Its X-Plane Contender

The DARPA program is looking for a candidate that can fly at speeds up to 450 knots, hover 'in a stable manner' and transition to forward flight.

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 10:34 AM ET

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Aurora Flight Science aircraft under development for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program called Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT). [Courtesy: Aurora Flight Science]

Key Takeaways:

Aurora Flight Sciences has completed the conceptual design for DARPA's experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) X-Plane and received a significant $25 million contract modification to continue its development.
Aurora is currently the only contender among four (including Bell, Northrop Grumman, and Piasecki) to receive upgraded funding for this high-speed (400-450 knots) and stable-hover capable aircraft.
The uncrewed aircraft design features fan-in-wing lift fans, with Aurora aiming for a preliminary design review in about a year and first flight within three years.

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Defense News has reported Aurora Flight Sciences has completed its conceptual design of an experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft for the Pentagon and is moving on to the next phase.

On April 30, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Aurora a $25 million contract modification to continue working on its version of the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) entry, a notable boost from the previous $4.2 million award.