Overview
- Otto Aerospace, which announced results Wednesday, said multi‑sortie flights at Spaceport America confirmed the drone’s predicted low‑drag performance.
- The airframe traces to a 24‑month DARPA and OECIF effort for the Energy Web Aircraft program, yet the newly reported campaign was funded and run by Otto outside that contract.
- Swift Engineering prepared the vehicle and coordinated range and telemetry support at White Sands Missile Range airspace, enabling repeated sorties over the test range.
- Laminar flow keeps air moving in smooth layers to cut drag, but it is hard to sustain on real aircraft surfaces, so flight data that matches models strengthens designs for long‑endurance UAVs and power‑relay concepts.
- Otto says the results will inform future energy‑relay UAV work and its Phantom 3500 business‑jet program, which targets a first flight in the second half of 2027.