On Thursday, April 2, 2026, U.S. company Aurora Flight Sciences (a Boeing company) announced on social media progress in the construction of the X-65 aircraft technology demonstrator under the CRANE (Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors) program, which is intended to perform in-flight maneuvers without the use of external moving (mechanical) control surfaces. The work is being commissioned by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under a contract dated January 17, 2023.
This is what the X-65 CRANE is intended to look like / Image: DARPA
According to the published information, in February of this year the fuselage of the future X-65 (which received this designation on May 15, 2025 – editor’s note) arrived at Aurora Flight Sciences’ facility in Alexandria, Virginia. The company’s teams are currently integrating electrical systems, propulsion, and aerodynamic control systems, while production of the wings and tail is progressing in West Virginia. The aircraft’s first flight is scheduled for 2027 (originally planned for 2025 – editor’s note).
It should be recalled that the key to its aerodynamic configuration and airframe design is the Active Flow Control (AFC) system. The company is currently executing an option for the program’s third phase, under which it is building a full-scale unmanned technology demonstrator with a maximum weight of up to 3,175 kg (7,000 lb) and a wingspan of 9.14 m (30 ft), capable of reaching speeds of Mach 0.7. It will be controlled using the AFC system and equipped with modular wing configurations that will enable future integration of advanced technologies for further testing by DARPA or potential transition partners.
AFC technologies enable improvements in aircraft performance, including the elimination of moving control surfaces, reduced aerodynamic drag, operation at high angles of attack, wings with greater thickness for structural efficiency and increased fuel capacity, and simplified climb systems.
Photo: Aurora Flight Sciences
The United States is not, however, a pioneer in bringing AFC concepts into physical aircraft. On December 13, 2017, BAE Systems revealed that the MAGMA unmanned aerial vehicle, developed in cooperation with specialists from the University of Manchester, had successfully completed its maiden flight. The aircraft is controlled exclusively through the expulsion of air from behind the jet engine compressor. Work on the project had been underway since 2010.
The innovative control system of the MAGMA UAV is based on two technologies:
- Wing Circulation Control – drawing air from the jet engine and ejecting it at supersonic speed through the trailing edge of the wings, providing control over changes in altitude;
- Fluidic Thrust Vectoring – expelling drawn air beneath the engine exhaust nozzle, deflecting the exhaust gases and enabling changes in flight direction.
#ICYMI The X-65 fuselage has arrived! Our teams are now integrating electrical, propulsion, and AFC systems into the fuselage in Virginia, while wing and tail manufacturing is advancing in West Virginia. Stay tuned for updates as we progress toward first flight, planned for 2027. pic.twitter.com/uZ4FL0sxRR
— Aurora Flight Sciences (@AuroraFlightSci) April 2, 2026
Another X-65 milestone! In February, the fuselage arrived at our Virginia facility. The aircraft build is underway! Working with @DARPA, we’re developing X 65 to demonstrate active flow control. Follow us as we progress to first flight, planned for 2027. pic.twitter.com/xKn9bH9hoe
— Aurora Flight Sciences (@AuroraFlightSci) March 24, 2026