Otto Aerospace has flown its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time in a test campaign aimed at validating its integrated laminar-flow aerodynamic technology.
The trials were conducted from Spaceport America within White Sands Missile Range airspace in collaboration with Swift Engineering.
Laminar flow is an aerodynamic approach where air moves in smooth, layered streams over an aircraft’s surface instead of breaking into turbulent flow, helping reduce resistance during flight.
During the campaign, the drone demonstrated improved aerodynamic efficiency by reducing drag and maintaining smooth airflow across its surfaces.
The results point to new opportunities for energy-efficient aviation and support the potential of laminar-flow technology to enhance performance across a range of aircraft types.
“Swift is proud to partner with Otto on this breakthrough,” said Hamed Khalkhali, president of Swift Engineering.
“The performance demonstrated in flight confirms the promise of laminar-flow aerodynamics to redefine long-endurance efficiency for unmanned systems across defense and commercial applications.”
Advancing the EWA Program
The drone was partially funded through a 24-month contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund.
The funding supported research under DARPA’s Energy Web Aircraft (EWA) program.
Otto Aerospace’s contribution to the program focused on developing a laminar-flow airframe intended to inform future energy-relay concepts and highly efficient long-endurance aircraft designs.
“This aircraft proved what we’ve modeled for years, that high-efficiency laminar-flow aerodynamics can deliver extraordinary endurance and performance,” said Scott Drennan, president and chief executive officer of Otto Aerospace.
“We’re proud that Otto’s expertise helped advance DARPA’s research objectives and equally proud of our team for executing a flawless flight campaign that pushes aerodynamic science forward.”
