Aurora Swiss Aerospace

Aurora Swiss Aerospace is an engineering center of expertise, specializing in advanced aircraft. Based in Luzern and backed by a global enterprise, Aurora Swiss brings knowledge built over years of experience developing cutting-edge aircraft and accelerating projects from concept to reality.

About Aurora Swiss

Aurora Swiss Aerospace was established in Luzern in 2013 to support the Centaur optionally piloted aircraft and quickly expanded into structural engineering for the Odysseus high-altitude pseudo-satellite. As part of its U.S.-based parent company Aurora Flight Sciences, Aurora Swiss Aerospace became a subsidiary of The Boeing Company in 2017.

From reducing emissions through its daily operations to designing a variety of novel aircraft configurations that will reduce drag and increase efficiency, Aurora Swiss is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. Another way Aurora Swiss supports this effort is by planting trees with Evertreen.

What We Do

Aurora Swiss provides engineering expertise across a wide range of disciplines related to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and future mobility. Our specialties include lightweight structures, autonomy, and flight operations, with projects often delivered on compressed timelines.

Airframe Design & Analysis

The Aurora Swiss team are experts in lightweight structures and carbon-fiber composites for the design of novel aircraft configurations. We progress our customers’ projects rapidly from concept, to detailed design, to ready-to-fly airframe.

Rapid Prototyping & Testing

Digital and physical prototypes help accelerate development. Aurora Swiss can build digital twins as well as provide shop-floor support and manufacturing skills. Then, we plan, execute, and report on relevant test scenarios to optimize each program.

Systems Engineering & Safety

Using model-based systems engineering (MBSE), Aurora Swiss supports the development of requirements and system and functional architecture . Additionally, we are experienced in safety assessments per ARP4761 and ARP4754, required for aircraft certification.

Autonomous Operations

The team has a breadth of expertise in autonomy, including autonomous flight controls, fleet management systems, vertiports, ConOps, and more. We are developing common autonomy capabilities and automated aircraft fleet-management systems that can be implemented across multiple platforms.

Example Programs

Optionally Piloted Aircraft

Centaur is a flexible, multi-role system for piloted, hybrid, or remotely piloted flight operations. In March 2021, Aurora announced the sale of a Centaur OPA system to armasuisse, the procurement agency of the Swiss military, following a previous lease agreement.

High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite

Odysseus is a solar-powered aircraft designed to deliver missions from the stratosphere. Aurora Swiss completed structures design and analysis, build support, and meteorology for this autonomous, 243 ft wing-span aircraft.

Urban Air Mobility

Starting with the passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype, Aurora Swiss has executed a range of engineering activities related to urban air mobility. Today, the team supports Wisk as they design, certify, and bring a self-flying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to market.

About Aurora Swiss

Aurora Swiss Aerospace was established in Luzern in 2013 to support the Centaur optionally piloted aircraft and quickly expanded into structural engineering for the Odysseus high-altitude pseudo-satellite. As part of its U.S.-based parent company Aurora Flight Sciences, Aurora Swiss Aerospace became a subsidiary of The Boeing Company in 2017.

From reducing emissions through its daily operations to designing a variety of novel aircraft configurations that will reduce drag and increase efficiency, Aurora Swiss is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. Another way Aurora Swiss supports this effort is by planting trees with Evertreen.