{"id":10361,"date":"2015-09-06T20:43:09","date_gmt":"2015-09-07T03:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=10361"},"modified":"2015-09-06T20:43:09","modified_gmt":"2015-09-07T03:43:09","slug":"eas-ix-aurora-flight-science-set-records-without-pilots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/eas-ix-aurora-flight-science-set-records-without-pilots\/","title":{"rendered":"EAS IX: Aurora Flight Science Set Records without Pilots"},"content":{"rendered":"

John Langford, CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, has been demonstrating autonomous aircraft for years \u2013 a fact he has shared with Electric Aircraft Symposium audiences several times.\u00a0 This year he gave a brief history of Aurora, starting with the Sunlight Eagle, an adaptation of the Michelob Light Eagle, a human-powered aircraft that preceded the most successful long-distance flight by an HPA \u2013 the Daedalus with a 76-mile trip over the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

The 2009 craft was originally powered with bicycle-like pedals and still holds four world records for human-powered flight. For its two test flights at Las Cruces International Airport, the pedals were replaced with solar panels, an electric motor, a high-performance battery, and a flight control system.\u00a0 Even with all the add-ons, the 114-foot span airplane weighed a mere 173 pounds.<\/p>\n

\"Formerly<\/a>

Formerly human powered, the Sunlight Eagle flew with power from solar cells<\/p><\/div>\n

This ability to build light, capable airframes coupled with intelligent remote and autonomous controls has led to multi-day endurance craft well suited to ISR (Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions.<\/p>\n

Aurora has covered all the aerial bases, designing a concept for a 200-meter wingspan segmented flying wing that can fold itself to capture the sun\u2019s rays at best angles, especially at low latitudes.\u00a0 It could stay aloft for up to five years.<\/p>\n

\"Aurora's<\/a>

Aurora’s Z-wing Odysseus high-altitude concept, able to stay aloft five years<\/p><\/div>\n

Aurora has fielded two record-achieving aircraft \u2013 one in the medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) category, and another in the light twin category.<\/p>\n

Their Orion, claimed by Langford to be the first practical multi-day endurance aircraft, received official recognition for its 80-hour, two-minute and 52-second flight last December, eclipsing the 30-hour Global Hawk record from 2001.\u00a0 The F\u00e9d\u00e9ration A\u00e9ronautique Internationale (FAI) made it official on July 1, followed by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), which also recognized the flight as one of the most memorable aviation milestones of 2014.<\/p>\n

According to Langford, the Orion can carry 1,000 pounds of sensors and communications systems, making it highly useful for civilian or military assignments that require persistence and a low cost per flying hour.<\/p>\n

In an Aviation Week Network<\/em> article<\/a>, Langford is quoted saying, \u201c\u201cIt is all about bringing down the cost of persistent surveillance or communications through aircraft efficiency, low acquisition cost, and reducing the cost of training and of staying proficient.\u00a0 \u201c<\/p>\n