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The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected Aurora Flight Sciences to move into the detailed design phase of the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program.
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DARPA’s selection follows the successful completion of the project’s Phase 1 preliminary design, which resulted in an innovative testbed aircraft that used active flow control (AFC) to generate control forces in a wind tunnel test.
Phase 2 will focus on detailed design and development of flight software and controls, culminating in a critical design review of an X-plane demonstrator that can fly without traditional moving flight controls on the exterior of the wings and tail.
DARPA’s CRANE program manager, Richard Wlezien, said, “Over the past several decades, the active flow control community has made significant advancements that enable the integration of active flow control technologies into advanced aircraft. We are confident about completing the design and flight test of a demonstration aircraft with AFC as the primary design consideration.”
The AFC suite of technologies enables multiple opportunities for aircraft performance improvements, such as elimination of moving control surfaces, drag reduction and high angle of attack flight, thicker wings for structural efficiency and increased fuel capacity, and simplified high-lift systems.
“With a modular wing section and modular AFC effectors, the CRANE X-plane has the potential to live on as a national test asset long after the CRANE program has concluded. Thanks to a variety of innovative participants, the CRANE program has significantly advanced the state of the art of multiple active flow control technologies," Wlezien added.
DARPA’s CRANE program aims to design, build, and flight test a novel X-plane that incorporates AFC as a primary design consideration. CRANE seeks to optimise the benefits of active flow control by maturing technologies and design tools, and incorporating them early in the design process.
AFC could improve aircraft performance by removing jointed surfaces, which currently drive design configurations that increase weight and mechanical complexity. Demonstrating AFC for stability and control in-flight would help open the design trade space for future military and commercial applications.
Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, advances the future of flight by developing and applying innovations across aircraft configurations, autonomous systems, propulsion technologies, and manufacturing processes. Aurora delivers solutions to its customers’ toughest challenges while meeting high standards of safety and quality.
