FlexSys worked with the U.S. Air Force and NASA to validate Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flight control surfaces on a Gulfstream III, marking the first modern flight of seamless, adaptive control surfaces. Testing took place over the course of three-and-a-half years, taking FlexSys’ morphing control surfaces to 40,000 feet and Mach 0.85.

In total, 75 tests demonstrated the structural robustness and aerodynamic performance of FlexFoil™ control surfaces. NASA found that FlexFoil reduced aircraft noise by 30%, especially during landing maneuvers.

With more than 20 years of experience perfecting morphing technology, we have successfully applied our unique and proprietary design approach to other engineering challenges.

Our expertise in engineering design, prototype fabrication, controls, testing, and manufacturing benefit customers seeking innovative solutions that reduce weight, complexity, and cost.

Dr. Sridhar Kota pioneered a new paradigm in engineering design called Distributed Compliance, which combines strength and flexibility to eliminate joints, friction, and wear. In 2001, Dr. Kota founded FlexSys to transform the patented shape-morphing designs into aerospace applications.

The technology has been applied to fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, integrating morphing with the leading edge, trailing edge, and other adaptive control surfaces. The U.S. Air Force funded various structural, wind-tunnel, and flight tests; however, the company also received support from other U.S. Department of Defense agencies and NASA.