NextGen Aeronautics Successfully Completes First Set of Autonomous Flights
of DARPA Sponsored MFX-2 Morphing Technology Demonstrator UAV

Torrance, September 29, 2007 – NextGen Aeronautics Inc. of Torrance, CA, today announced the successful completion of initial autonomous flight tests of the second generation morphing UAV, the MFX-2, at the Camp Roberts military flight test facility in central California.

The MFX-2 is a twin jet powered 300 lb morphing technology demonstrator capable of independently varying wing area and sweep to provide optimum configuration for multiple flight regimes. Morphing changes to wing provide a 40% change in wing area, 73% change in span and 177% change in aspect ratio. The MFX-2 can be flown in both autonomous and remote-control modes and control of the aircraft can be switched in flight. The MFX-2 features a unique autopilot system developed by team member Aero Controls, Inc. that commands the flight controls, morphing, navigation, and maneuvering by utilizing a dynamically variable stability and control scheme.

“This flight testing has demonstrated in-flight autonomous morphing capability and has validated aircraft and subsystem performance,” said Dr. Shiv Joshi, chief engineer on the program. He added, “It builds upon work done by NextGen over the last four years under the DARPA Morphing Aircraft Structures (MAS) program and brings us one step closer to developing an operational morphing aircraft – such an UAV will provide the warfighter a unique capability to perform diverse mission segments which currently require multiple aircraft.” The flight was monitored and witnessed by NASA LaRC personnel, who are the technical agents for DARPA on this program. “This is a further incremental step to advancing our understanding of the value of aircraft configuration changing in flight”, said Mr. Phil Hunt, the DARPA Tactical Technology Office MAS program manager.

During the aggressively scheduled test program, the MFX-2 performed a total of five flights. It performed autonomous morphing while holding altitude and heading as well as turning maneuvers for performance comparisons. The flights averaged 10 minutes each in duration and completed 6 to 8 loops within the flying range. Morphing from one configuration to another was performed in about 10 seconds with the turn radius ratio between extreme configurations well above 2, one of the performance metrics established at the beginning of the program. The control of the aircraft was seamlessly handed off between autonomous and RPV modes.

After two weeks of exhaustive testing, Mr. Rolf Strutzenberg, the MFX-2 flight test director, said “The team as well as the aircraft performed incredibly well and we accomplished the test objectives in a short amount of time.” Mr. Rick Willard of Aero Controls, Inc. added, “I’ve never seen a system perform this well the first time out.”

NextGen Aeronautics is a small business started in the centennial anniversary year of the first powered flight with the express purpose of developing innovative technologies for the next 100 years of flight. NextGen is at the forefront of developing morphing UAV and other advanced aircraft technologies.