Boeing's Aurora Flight Sciences Begins Production Of Upgraded Skiron-X UAS

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, has officially begun production of its third-generation Skiron-X Group 2 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), featuring a series of hardware and software upgrades aimed at improving performance and usability.

The new Skiron-X version offers upgraded avionics, an improved nose cone design, an optional long-range radio, and enhanced ground control capabilities. Aurora says these updates will improve both the user experience and the system’s overall flight performance.

The system’s ground control station (GCS) now runs Kutta Technologies’ Unified Ground Control Station (UGCS) software, designed to make mission planning and execution more efficient. Aurora highlights the intuitive interface and robust flight simulator as simplifying factors for operator training, even for non-specialists.

Among the major upgrades is a new nose cone that allows easier alignment of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) payloads, while also supporting in-field swaps and custom integrations. The battery-powered Skiron-X now offers extended endurance, increasing from three to 3.5 hours.

Aurora is also introducing an optional 10W radio with a tracking antenna providing a 47-mile command-and-control (C2) link range. The ground control system has been redesigned into a condensed hardware package that reduces setup time and simplifies transport.

Additionally, the company is offering the Skiron-XLE, a fuel-cell-powered variant slightly longer than Skiron-X to accommodate a hydrogen fuel cell and auxiliary battery. Aurora confirmed that Skiron-XLE successfully completed a seven-hour flight test in 2024, equipped with an Intelligent Energy fuel cell, two five-liter hydrogen tanks, and a Trillium HD45 EO/IR payload. The aircraft landed with depleted hydrogen fuel but ample battery reserve.

Skiron-X blends electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) capability with the endurance of a fixed-wing design. It complies with U.S. FAA Part 107 and Remote ID rules for small UAS operations, can be transported using a standard truck or SUV by a two-person team, and can be set up and launched in under 10 minutes.

Aurora Flight Sciences says the new upgrades can be used by customers in surveillance, mapping, and other mission profiles.