Beehive Industries announced substantial progress on its Frenzy propulsion system, developed under a $12.46 million U.S. Air Force contract awarded in October 2024. According to Beehive, this work is being conducted in collaboration with the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI).
The company stated that it has moved rapidly from defining production requirements to achieving the First Engine to Test (FETT) milestone in just five months. Beehive reported producing and testing a new engine approximately every six weeks, leveraging its additive manufacturing capabilities to accelerate development.
Beehive noted that four Frenzy engines have already undergone extensive testing in six months, exceeding expectations. Tests included performance verification, durability assessment, and environmental stress evaluations, with each engine surpassing target metrics for power, Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC), and operational durability.
Looking ahead, Beehive mentioned plans for altitude testing of the Frenzy engine in the final quarter of 2025, followed by flight testing in early 2026. The company emphasised that this rapid pace positions the Frenzy engine as an efficient and high-performing propulsion solution for unmanned aerial vehicles.
