Laminar-Flow Drone From Otto Aerospace Clears Flight-Test Campaign for DARPA
Otto Aerospace completed a successful flight-test campaign for its unmanned laminar-flow drone at Spaceport America in New Mexico, validating its aerodynamic efficiency for DARPA’s Energy Web Aircraft program. The drone’s low-drag design, funded partly by a DARPA contract, aims to support laser-based power transfer for long-endurance aircraft and future energy-relay systems.
Otto Aerospace, based in Fort Worth, Texas, has successfully completed a flight-test campaign for its unmanned laminar-flow drone at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The campaign, announced on May 6, 2026, validated the aircraft’s predicted aerodynamic efficiency by maintaining smooth, uninterrupted airflow over its surfaces to reduce drag. The project is part of a 24-month contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund. It supports DARPA’s Energy Web Aircraft (EWA) program, which explores laser-based power transfer over long distances to enable aircraft to remain airborne indefinitely. Otto’s laminar-flow airframe was designed to inform future energy-relay systems and long-endurance platforms. The flight-test campaign was independently funded by Otto and conducted outside the scope of the DARPA contract. Scott Drennan, president and CEO of Otto Aerospace, stated that the aircraft confirmed years of modeling, proving laminar-flow aerodynamics can deliver extraordinary endurance and performance. Swift Engineering partnered with Otto to manage vehicle preparation and range coordination at Spaceport America. The team conducted multiple test flights over White Sands Missile Range airspace. Hamed Khalkhali, president of Swift Engineering, highlighted the drone’s performance as a breakthrough for long-endurance unmanned systems in both defense and commercial applications. The demonstrator now serves as a validation platform for Otto’s laminar-flow research, feeding data into future energy-relay UAV concepts and commercial programs. Drennan emphasized that the collected data opens new possibilities for energy-efficient aviation, applicable to business jets and long-endurance drones alike. Otto Aerospace specializes in next-generation aircraft built around transonic laminar-flow aerodynamics. The company’s work advances both defense and civilian aviation capabilities through innovative aerodynamic science.
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