Auroras High-Speed VTOL Passes Tunnel Testing
Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, has achieved a major milestone in its high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (HSVTOL) concept by completing stability and control wind tunnel testing at a Boeing facility near Philadelphia. On April 29, 2025, Aurora confirmed that a 20 percent scale model of the HSVTOL prototype underwent extensive trials in March, marking a key accomplishment in the preliminary design phase of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) program.
The SPRINT initiative seeks to deliver an X-plane demonstrator that combines exceptional cruise speed with the ability to take off and land vertically on unprepared surfaces. Aurora’s design leverages embedded lift fans integrated into a blended wing body architecture, aiming to sustain cruise speeds of approximately 518 mph (834 km/h) while retaining runway-independent operation. Success in wind tunnel testing is critical to validating the concept’s low-speed handling characteristics, especially during the transition from vertical hover to forward flight.
During the stability and control experiments, engineers collected high-fidelity data on aerodynamic response, control authority and stability margins across a range of angles of attack and sideslip conditions. Particular emphasis was placed on the transitional envelope, where lift shifts from the vertical fans to the wing’s aerodynamic surfaces. Results demonstrated excellent agreement with Aurora’s computational models, reinforcing confidence in predicted performance and handling qualities.
“This SPRINT wind tunnel test has validated our analytical estimates of the aircraft’s performance,” said Larry Wirsing, Vice President of Aircraft Development at Aurora. “With this successful risk reduction testing completed, the program is ready to proceed into detailed design.” Wirsing noted that the new data will directly inform the full-scale vehicle’s structural layout, control algorithms and flight simulator database, streamlining the path to a flightworthy prototype.
Aurora and Boeing have assembled a world-class team of experts in advanced vertical lift technologies to support the SPRINT effort. The collaboration combines Aurora’s decades of experience in unmanned and experimental aircraft with Boeing’s wind tunnel facilities and systems integration capabilities. Together, they aim to deliver an aircraft that showcases game-changing improvements in speed, agility and cargo capacity for both military and eventual commercial applications.
Beyond stability and control, future testing phases will evaluate aerothermal effects, structural loads and acoustic signature. Flight testing is slated to begin following completion of detailed design and full-scale hardware fabrication. DARPA envisions that a piloted X-plane will demonstrate operationally relevant performance in the late 2020s, paving the way for next-generation runway-independent transport platforms.
By focusing on wind tunnel risk reduction early, Aurora and Boeing are mitigating technical uncertainties and accelerating development timelines. The SPRINT program represents a critical investment in technologies that promise to reshape vertical lift and high-speed flight, satisfying emerging requirements for rapid global mobility and dispersed operations. With wind tunnel success now behind them, Aurora Flight Sciences is poised to advance the HSVTOL concept into flight test, bringing transformational capabilities one step closer to reality.
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