Aurora Flight Sciences Displays GoldenEye 80 Unmanned Aircraft at Virginia AeroSpace Legislative Reception

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MANASSAS, VA (Released by Aurora Flight Sciences)

On the evening of February 4, 2009 Aurora Flight Sciences displayed the GoldenEye 80 Unmanned Aircraft for Virginia legislators and other invited guests. The Virginia Aviation Business Association and the Virginia Department of Aviation partnered with NASA to host the yearly reception at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. The goal of the event is to increase awareness of how vital NASA and the aerospace industry are to the economic well-being and future of the Commonwealth. Located in Manassas, Virginia, Aurora Flight Sciences was founded in 1989 and in its 20 year history has become the second largest privately held Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) company in the United States.

The GoldenEye 80 is integrated and tested in Manassas, Virginia and has been developed to provide tactical situational awareness and lethality to our nation’s war fighters. Aurora is conducting developmental tests and demonstrations of the GoldenEye 80 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and has recently achieved significant progress in both technology risk reduction and system maturation. The GoldenEye 80 is a ducted fan, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) autonomous UAS, configured to support multiple warfighter missions. “The GoldenEye 80 is a unique, speed agile VTOL platform that provides reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) data,” said Tom Clancy, Chief Technology Officer for Aurora. “We’ve flight demonstrated high speed dash and hover and stare capability with stabilized full motion video.” The production UAS consists of three air vehicles, one interoperable mobile ground control station, and spares. This multi-vehicle system provides persistence and enhanced tasking flexibility that cannot be duplicated by a single conventional fixed-wing or rotary wing aircraft. “Aurora is committed to getting this organic RSTA capability into the hands of the warfighter to help protect our forces,” said Clancy.

"John Stevens, GoldenEye 80 Program Manager, talks to legislative guests about the GoldenEye 80 unmanned air vehicle"

About Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences designs and builds robotic aircraft and other advanced aerospace vehicles for scientific and military applications. Aurora is headquartered in Manassas, VA and operates production plants in Bridgeport, WV and Columbus, MS and a Research and Development Center in Cambridge, MA. To view recent press releases and more about Aurora please visit our web site at www.aurora.aero.