Beehive Industries Scales 3D-Printed Drone Jet Engines to Full Production with Air Force Funding

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Publication Date: 2026-07-22 07:59:05

Beehive Industries Accelerates Production of 3D-Printed Jet Engines

Beehive Industries is rapidly transitioning its additively manufactured jet-engine program into high-volume production.

Since April, the Denver-based aerospace manufacturer has secured a $29.7 million U.S. Air Force contract, committed over $50 million to metal additive manufacturing equipment, acquired two Ohio machine shops, and announced a $70 million expansion expected to create more than 200 jobs in Southwest Ohio. The company has also ordered multiple ultra-large-format metal printers from Nikon SLM Solutions for aerospace, defense, and space production.

These moves represent more than an equipment-buying spree. Beehive is building an end-to-end manufacturing system where additive manufacturing produces complex engine hardware, dedicated machining operations finish the parts, and specialized facilities support serial production. If executed at the projected scale, this vertically integrated model could provide a blueprint for producing small turbine engines faster and in far greater volumes.

The immediate focus is the Frenzy 8, a 200-pound-force-thrust engine designed for swarm-class drones, expendable aircraft, and other uncrewed defense systems. The engine has completed ground and high-altitude testing and is ready for full-rate production.

From Flight Readiness to Production Readiness

Beehive completed high-altitude testing of the Frenzy 8 in late 2025 at a government facility in Ohio. The company stated the campaign validated ignition, acceleration, operability, durability, and performance across the planned flight envelope. Hardware reportedly remained in "like new" condition after mission-life-equivalent runtime.

"The milestone confirms Frenzy's readiness for flight integration," said David Kimball, Beehive's chief technology officer.

Beehive moved from concept to proven high-altitude performance in less than a year, testing six engines on the ground in four months and sending two prototypes to the Ohio facility.

"Frenzy is now flight-ready, and our production system is ready to scale alongside it," Kimball added.

In April, the Air Force awarded Beehive a $29.7 million contract covering vehicle integration, flight testing, and qualification of the Frenzy 8. The award also funds initial manufacturing and testing of the smaller, 100-pound-force Frenzy 6 engine.

This work supports an Air Force effort to develop affordable turbine engines for uncrewed aerial and standoff systems. The broader objective is often described as "affordable mass": fielding systems that can be manufactured and deployed in much larger quantities than traditional, high-cost weapons.

"This collaboration ensures our warfighters will have the high-volume, mission-ready capabilities they need to maintain a competitive edge in any theater," said Gordie Follin, Beehive's chief product officer.

Expanding the Additive Manufacturing Fleet

A contract establishes demand, but it does not create capacity. Beehive's answer is a major expansion of its additive manufacturing fleet.

In June, the company announced an agreement valued at over $50 million for 30 M4 ONYX metal additive manufacturing systems from the German manufacturer EOS. The machines are scheduled for delivery to Beehive's Colorado and Tennessee facilities over 12 months, bringing its installed EOS fleet to 50 systems. EOS described it as the company's largest publicly announced single order.

The M4 ONYX uses six lasers and incorporates automated powder handling, process monitoring, and production-data capabilities—features that become increasingly important as additive manufacturing moves from development to repeatable series production.

Beehive's strategy is not simply to print more copies of a conventionally designed engine. The Frenzy was developed from the ground up to be 3D printed, allowing the company to consolidate parts and shorten supply chains.

The potential advantage is speed. Traditional turbine-engine programs depend on specialized castings, forgings, tooling, and networks of qualified suppliers. Designing around additive manufacturing may reduce that dependency, though high-rate production still requires machining, inspection, testing, and tightly controlled material processes.