RapidFlight Awarded Air Force Contract to Develop SPX Autonomous Aircraft System

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $10 million contract to RapidFlight for the development and production of the SPX, a customizable, autonomous fixed-wing aircraft system.

The contract was awarded under the Air Force’s AFWERX Autonomy Prime program, which focuses on collaboration with small businesses and startups to expedite the development and adoption of autonomous technologies, RapidFlight said.

In the first phase of the 36-month contract, RapidFlight will design SPX uncrewed aerial vehicles for testing at the Autonomy Prime Proving Ground. A demonstration at RapidFlight’s Manassas, Virginia, flight test facility will follow.

RapidFlight will also provide comprehensive operations and maintenance training to Air Force operators.

According to Mike Uffelman, RapidFlight’s director of growth and customer programs, the company anticipates reducing design-to-manufacture time and platform costs for the SPX by up to 80 percent.

Furthermore, Uffelman said the Air Force will gain insights into RapidFlight’s digital engineering process used to create the SPX.