Conquering laminar flow technology is “the holy grail of aviation”, as NASA would have it. Research into the concept dates all the way back to the 1930s, before the space agency even existed.

Laminar flow technologies reduce drag by minimizing airflow disruption, leading to ultra-efficient aerodynamic performance.

One company, Otto Aerospace, is leading the way, with a successful flight test for its unmanned EWA drone aircraft. The firm claims the test will provide valuable data for its broader work, which includes a windowless transonic private jet.

Otto Aerospace’s long-endurance EWA drone

Otto Aerospace’s flight test was conducted from Spaceport America in the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) airspace in New Mexico. In a press statement, the company noted that the campaign “validated predicted aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft’s laminar-flow design technology in flight.”

The drone, which is partly funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF), leverages Otto’s proven laminar-flow technology. Under the 24-month contract, Otto will advance research for DARPA’s Energy Web Aircraft (EWA) program.

DARPA’s program focuses on enabling long-distance laser-based power transfer. To do so, it will leverage airborne relays, such as Otto’s drone. Otto’s role, therefore, is to develop an airframe for an unmanned vehicle that is highly efficient in laminar flow. This could ultimately inform design parameters for future energy-relay systems.

According to Otto, the flight-test campaign announced this week is self-funded and conducted independently of the DARPA and OECIF contract. “This aircraft proved what we’ve modeled for years, that high-efficiency laminar-flow aerodynamics can deliver extraordinary endurance and performance,” Scott Drennan, president and CEO of Otto Aerospace, explained in the statement. “We’re proud that Otto’s expertise helped advance DARPA’s research objectives and equally proud of our team for executing a flawless flight campaign that pushes aerodynamic science forward.”

Drone data to guide Otto’s transonic efforts

Last year, Otto Aerospace revealed its Phantom 3500 aircraft, a windowless jet that replaces traditional porthole windows with screens that provide views of its surroundings. This allows for an ultra-efficient aircraft engineered for transonic laminar flow. The twin-engine private jet will have a range of 3,200 nautical miles (3,682 miles, 5,926 km) and a cruise altitude of 51,000 ft (15,545 m). Otto is aiming for a first flight in the second half of 2027.

In an interview with Interesting Engineering in June 2025, Drennan said the Phantom 3500 builds on the progress made with its previous model, the Celera 500 demonstrator. That aircraft allowed Otto to “develop flight mission parameters to optimize laminar flow and overflow aircraft system performance.”

Now, Otto’s drone flight test campaign will serve as a “broader validation platform for Otto’s laminar-flow research,” the company said in its statement. It will provide “data applicable to future energy-relay UAV concepts as well as Otto’s own commercial and defense programs.”

“The data collected in this test opens new possibilities for energy-efficient aviation,” said Drennan. “From business jets to long-endurance UAVs, we’re showing how laminar flow can change what’s possible in flight.”