About Aurora

Advancing the Future of Flight

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. With a passionate and agile team, Aurora delivers solutions to its customers’ toughest challenges while meeting high standards of safety and quality.

1989

Aurora was founded in Virginia

5

US and international locations

30

unique aircraft in 30 years

1989

Aurora was founded in Virginia

5

US and international locations

30

unique aircraft in 30 years

Leadership

Mike Caimona
Mike Caimona
President & CEO
Kit Decker
Kit Decker
Chief Operating Officer
Ashley McElwain
Ashley McElwain
Chief Human Resources Officer
Luke Colville
Luke Colville
Vice President, Aerosystems
Graham Drozeski
Graham Drozeski
Chief Technology Officer
Larry Wirsing
Larry Wirsing
Vice President, Aircraft and Product Development
Rhoan Boucher
Rhoan Boucher
Chief Customer Officer
Clint Church
Clint Church
Chief Engineer
Carrie Haase
Carrie Haase
Chief Pilot
John Tylko
John Tylko
Chief Innovation Officer
Jaime Mullen
Jaime Mullen
Chief Financial Officer

Aurora Locations

Manassas, Virginia

Headquarters

Located at the Manassas Regional Airport, this multi-building site includes three aircraft hangars, engineering development and build spaces, test labs, remote flight operations centers, and offices.

9950 Wakeman Drive, Manassas, VA 20110
703-369-3633

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Aerospace & Autonomy Center and Lab

Two new research and engineering spaces including an innovative office space located at the gateway to MIT campus and a multi-functional lab space located in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston.

314 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142
617-500-4800

Columbus, Mississippi

Advanced Manufacturing

With over 120,000 ft2 of space and technologies such as automated fiber placement, this site is a hub for advanced manufacturing and proud member of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport community.

200 Aurora Way, Columbus, MS 39701
662-328-8227

Bridgeport, West Virginia

Advanced Manufacturing

Located in North Central West Virginia, this site houses some of the most advanced technology in robotic manufacturing, such as our Flexible Robotic Composite Manufacturing Cell (FRCMC).

3000 East Industrial Rd., Bridgeport, WV 26330
304-842-8100

Lucerne, Switzerland

Aurora Swiss Aerospace

This modern workspace hosts engineers specialized in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), particularly in lightweight structures, autonomy, and autonomous operations.

Baselstrasse 61A, 6003 Luzern, Switzerland
+41-41-248-00-40

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Satellite Locations

For many positions, Aurora supports remote or hybrid working arrangements from home or from select Boeing offices across the U.S. These sites offer flexibility as well as the opportunity to foster connections with our Boeing colleagues.

Aurora History

Established in 1989, Aurora Flight Sciences, developed and flew 30 aircraft in its first 30 years. Today, we are continuing to develop and fly innovative aircraft and enabling technologies across autonomy, propulsion, novel configurations, and composite materials.

  • 1989

    Founded in Virginia

    Aurora Flight Sciences was founded by John S. Langford in 1989. An MIT graduate and manager of MIT’s Daedalus project for NASA, Langford started Aurora with the goal of designing and manufacturing high-altitude, long-endurance autonomous aircraft.

  • 1991

    Perseus takes flight

    Aurora’s first aircraft, Perseus, took flight in November 1991. The remotely-piloted, propeller-powered aircraft was developed as a design-performance testbed under NASA’s Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project.

  • 1995

    First deliveries for Global Hawk

    Aurora first delivered v-tail assemblies for Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk program in 1995. The program has since grown to also include the aft fuselage and nacelle for Global Hawk and Triton.

  • 2003

    Aurora develops first line of VTOL UAVs

    Developed under a contract for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Aurora’s Goldeneye vehicles were autonomous, ducted-fan UAVs with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities.

  • 2009

    First solar-powered UAS flights in the NAS

    Aurora’s two test flights of SunLight Eagle took place at Las Cruces International Airport in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Test Center operated by the Physical Science Laboratory of New Mexico State University.

  • 2013

    Aurora Swiss Aerospace opens

    In 2013, Aurora opened an office in Luzern, Switzerland. This site was originally established as a support office, but quickly became an engineering hub specializing in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

  • 2014

    Orion aircraft breaks world record

    On December 8, 2014, Aurora’s Orion unmanned aircraft system (UAS) set a world record for the longest flight duration for a remotely controlled UAV.

  • 2017

    Boeing acquires Aurora Flight Sciences

    On November 8, 2017, Aurora was acquired by The Boeing Company, becoming a fully owned subsidiary operating under Boeing’s Engineering, Test & Technology division.

  • 2018

    Solar-powered Odysseus unveiled

    On November 14, 2018, Aurora unveiled its Odysseus high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS). With a wingspan of 234 ft., the autonomous aircraft has the ability to stay at an altitude of 65,000 ft. for several months at a time.

  • 2019

    PAV first flight

    First flown in January 2019, Aurora’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger air vehicle (PAV) accelerated innovation and advanced the development of urban air mobility.

  • 2022

    Advancing the future of flight

    Today Aurora continues to develop intuitive autonomous systems, novel configurations, electric propulsion, and complex composite structures to support urban air mobility, autonomous flight, high-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), and more.

Learn more about our legacy of innovation

Quality & Certifications

Aurora’s commitment to quality, continuous improvements and satisfying the needs of our customers is represented by our AS9100/ISO9001 certifications and Nadcap accreditation.

Learn More