La DARPA is developing a new type of plane with no external moving parts, an “X-Plane” that uses active airflow control to move and maneuver. The choice of the company responsible for its construction fell on Aurora flight sciences. The program name is CRANE (Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors), and the experts can't wait to witness the first tests in the wind tunnel.
The next steps
After the analysis and feasibility study on the aircraft design, the subsequent phases have already been illustrated in the plan.
Second phase: detailed design and development of software and flight controls. The culmination of this phase will be the creation of a first working prototype, capable of flying without the traditional flight controls external to the wings and tail but exploiting the control of the air flow. The demonstration aircraft will have unique and modular wing configurations, which will allow the integration of advanced flight test technologies in the future, both by DARPA and possible transition partners.
Finally, the last preparatory phase for a real revolution: the creation of a 3-ton X-plane: the last proof of concept before the integration of airflow systems on large aircraft.
Flow control aircraft, the time is ripe
“The last few decades have seen major advances in the airflow control community,” says CRANE program manager, Richard Wleizen. “This allows us today to study how there can be an integration of active flow control technologies into advanced aircraft. We are optimistic to complete the design and flight testing of a demonstrator aircraft with active flow control as the main priority. The CRANE X-plane has the potential to become an asset even after the CRANE program ends.”
The ultimate goal? Wleizen makes no secret of it: literally transforming military aircraft as we know them today and making them lighter, more maneuverable, efficient and economical. I don't know whether to hope that the project fails to avoid seeing increasingly effective weapons of war, or that it succeeds due to the inevitable repercussions on civil flight.
