By Dan Catchpole and Shivansh Tiwary
(Reuters) – BETA Technologies, a pioneer in electric aircraft manufacturing, revealed on Thursday that it is joining forces with Near Earth Autonomy to build uncrewed military aircraft, with flight testing anticipated to start in the first half of 2026.
BETA’s CEO, Kyle Clark, shared with Reuters that the full development and demonstration of their autonomous system is projected to take about a year. It could potentially be deployed in 18 to 36 months, but he cautioned that the defense procurement process may sometimes delay such timelines.
This Vermont-based company specializes in electric aircraft and propulsion systems, highlighting that Near Earth brings crucial expertise in autonomous technology tailored for the U.S. military and top aerospace manufacturers.
As setbacks in acquiring regulatory approvals slow down commercial passenger air taxis, many players in the sector are pivoting their focus toward defense and logistics markets to diversify their income streams. This drive pushes developers to enhance their autonomous capabilities in order to stand out.
According to Clark, there’s a growing demand that could reach “hundreds of aircraft per year—at the very least.” The ongoing conflict in Ukraine underscored the significance of air logistics operations.
BETA aims to leverage its collaboration with Near Earth to broaden its offerings for military and commercial logistics, including existing relationships with partners like UPS and Bristow.
This month, the company raised an impressive $1 billion through an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange and has been trialing its inhouse autonomy systems for several years.
Recent hints from U.S. defense and transportation authorities suggest that the rollout of autonomous aircraft could happen more swiftly, said Shawn Hall, BETA’s chief revenue officer, in a recent statement.
The partnership with Near Earth also complements BETA’s collaboration with GE Aerospace to develop a turbo generator, bolstering their own expertise in electric airplane technology.
Clark mentioned that the propulsion development in conjunction with GE Aerospace is set to enhance their vehicles’ range, payload capacity, and speed. “When you superimpose autonomy, you end up with an aircraft that boosts its capability, minimizes pilot weight, optimizes payload, and allows operations in contested airspaces, thereby reducing risk to personnel,” he elaborated.
“We have assembled all essential components to address a critical need for the U.S. military,” he concluded.
(Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru and Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
