Beehive Industries Awarded $29.7 Million Contract by U.S. Air Force for Frenzy Engine Development

See the left-most engine in the photo above? That’s the Frenzy 8, printed by Beehive Industries, and the first engine to test (FETT) in the series of iterations. Continue right, and you’ll see the evolution of the Frenzy 8, ending with the flight-ready production unit. Notably, this evolution was was achieved in less than a year.

Beehive Industries is a U.S.-based manufacturer that specializes in 3D printing jet engines for uncrewed aerial defense applications. Like the company’s name suggests – knowing that bees are busy workers – they aim to be as productive as possible, mass-producing engines that can be built in weeks and tested in days. On April 9, Beehive announced that it was awarded a $29.7 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to complete vehicle integration, flight testing, and qualification of the company’s 200 lbf Frenzy™ 8 engine. The award also supports the advancement of Beehive’s 100 lbf Frenzy 6 engine, beginning with the manufacturing of a FETT asset and options for further testing, vehicle integration, and flight demonstration.

The Frenzy engine family has a thrust of 100-300 lbf, a diameter of 6-9 inches, and weight of 15-35 pounds.

Why Beehive 3D Prints Frenzy Engines

Beehive uses metal additive manufacturing to rapidly produce low-cost jet engines. Its Frenzy engine family is specifically designed for mass-produced munitions and swarm-class drones. According to the company, they use 3D printing because the technology allows the team to reduce part weight, consolidate part components, accelerate cycle times, and localize production, among other benefits. Additive manufacturing also lets them tailor all critical performance characteristics, including size, thrust, and ignition, to mission requirements.