Tag: Testing

FAA Clears Hermeus Quarterhorse for Supersonic Flight Testing

Aerotime reports, “Hermeus announced on March 12, 2026, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category (SAC-EC) for its unmanned Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 aircraft. The certification clears the way for Hermeus to proceed with flight testing as it works toward achieving supersonic flight. According to the company, the process involved a rigorous inspection by FAA agents, who assessed the aircraft ahead of its planned flight-test campaign.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

SpaceX’s Next-Gen Starship Booster Damaged During Testing Friday Morning

Ars Technica reports, “During the pre-dawn hours in South Texas on Friday morning, SpaceX’s next-generation Starship first stage suffered some sort of major damage during pre-launch testing. The company had only rolled the massive rocket out of the factory a day earlier, noting the beginning of its test campaign said on the social media site X: “The first operations will test the booster’s redesigned propellant systems and its structural strength.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

Mississippi State University Testing Aurora’s Tactical eVTOL Drone to Aid First Responders

Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Researchers at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory are flying Aurora Flight Sciences drone, SKIRON-X, as part of a project designed to assist first responders. The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is leading a groundbreaking initiative to advance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for emergency response operations Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company, provided its Group 2 UAS, SKIRON-X, as the project’s test platform.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)

V-BAT UAS Cleared for Coast Guard Deployment After Successful Testing

Defense Daily reports, “The V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has successfully complete{d} operational test and evaluation with the Coast Guard, clearing the way for the service to begin employing the drones aboard its National Security Cutters (NSCs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance uses, the service and drone supplier said on Thursday.
Full Story (Defense Daily)

SpaceX Tests Raptor Engines That Will Power Next Starship Rocket

Ars Technica reports, “SpaceX fired six Raptor engines on the company’s next Starship rocket Monday, clearing a major hurdle on the path to launch later this month on a high-stakes test flight to get the private rocket program back on track. Starship ignited its Raptor engines Monday morning on a test stand near SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in South Texas.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

Sierra Space Marks Third Testing Milestone on Resilient GPS (R-GPS) Technology for USSF

Inside GNSS reports, “Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime  announced today another successful demonstration of the company’s Resilient GPS (R-GPS) technology for the U.S. Space Force (USSF). In this third milestone, Sierra Space demonstrated an early integration of the R-GPS satellite technology through FlatSat flight software and hardware subsystem testing, in addition to successful communication with ground software.”
Full Story (Inside GNSS)

Vertical Aerospace Completes VX4 Phase One Testing

Reuters reports, “UK-based Vertical Aerospace has completed the first phase of piloted testing of a prototype of its air-taxi, VX4, it said on Thursday, sending the company’s shares up 3.9% in U.S. premarket trading. The VX4 has 1,500 pre-orders worth $6 billion from companies including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and Japan Airlines. The phase one testing included multiple piloted tethered flights and ground runs. It completed 70 individual test points to validate its safety in the real-world flight scenarios.”
Full Story (Reuters)

Self-Flying Cessna Begins Testing for FAA Validation

Flying Magazine reports, “Self-flying aircraft may be closer to takeoff than you think. On Thursday, Boston-based Merlin Labs announced it began what it claims is the first test campaign of a certification-ready, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight system. The company’s Merlin Pilot is designed to one day allow small aircraft to fly with no humans on board.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)