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Aurora Overview. James D. Paduano Presented to the ACGSC October 11 2006. Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation 9950 Wakeman Drive Manassas, VA (703) 369-3633. What We Do. Company Overview. TACTICAL SYSTEMS
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Aurora Overview James D. Paduano Presented to the ACGSC October 11 2006 Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation 9950 Wakeman Drive Manassas, VA (703) 369-3633
What We Do Company Overview TACTICAL SYSTEMS Develop and deploy products for small teams that increase situational awareness and mission effectiveness Aurora is currently the largest independent “pure play” in the UAV business space SCIENCE APPLICATIONS Develop and deploy technologies, vehicles, and infrastructure for scientific research and exploration AEROSTRUCTURES Provide design-build and build to print services to prime contractors
R&D Center Cambridge, Massachusetts Core programs: - Autonomous Technologies - Critical Subsystems - Payload Technologies - System Technologies Engineering Center & Corporate HQ Manassas, Virginia Core programs: - GoldenEye - Excalibur - MarsFlyer Facilities & Infrastructure Production Facility Clarksburg, West Virginia Core programs: - Global Hawk - E-2 - Eagle Eye Production Facility Columbus/Starkville, Mississippi Core programs: - Hunter - Orion
Tactical: Three Related Systems Company Overview Excalibur PoP OAV-II GE-50 Family of VTOL UAVs with unique attributes to meet capability needs for distributed, small-team operations
Vehicle Performance Comparison • GoldenEye’s wings • Enable dash speeds • Enhance vehicle endurance capability • Combine “hover and stare” with dash and loiter capabilities • Excalibur VTOL • Mobility advantage • …without compromising high-speed dash capability • Platform flexibility expands mission capability
Orion: Leverages HALE Propulsion Concept and LH2 Storage Technology HALE-derived H2 ICE Propulsion System Ultra-lightweight all-composite airframe ONE 8FT TANK 4.2 DAY ENDURANCE 65,000 feet
Cambridge Research and Development Center • Opened March 2006 • Currently 9 employees, goal of 20 in 2007 • 15 minute walk to MIT or Draper Laboratory • Collaborative research underway AFS RDC Draper 0.75 km MIT
Cambridge RDC Current Activitiesin Autonomy, Control, and Estimation • Vision-based estimation, tracking, control • Optical flow, structure from motion, other concepts • Enable advanced urban UAV capabilities • Multi-Vehicle Coordinate Search and Tracking (CSAT) • Joint research with MIT • Focus: cooperative control with intermittent communication • Goal: develop on-board high-level autonomy • Aurora Ongoing Program Support • Orion redundant flight control system procure & test • GoldenEye-OAV avionics components & firmware • Other programs as needed • GoldenEye-50 Re-engine program • System will incorporate engine health monitoring avionics • Eventual goal: flight test program by Cambridge group • Program also leverage propulsion expertise at RDC
Key Differentiators • Small company attitude with big company capabilities and experience • Complete range of technical skills for UAVs • Experienced with both development work (including rapid prototyping) and production work (for operationally deployed systems) • Strong university ties • Process certifications & security clearances • Low cost structure • Financial backing of major investment funds • Strong political support • Alliances with key industry leaders