Colorado-based propulsion start-up Beehive Industries is advancing testing of its Frenzy line of small turbojet engines.
The company is preparing to ship its first Frenzy prototype to the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), according to a Beehive official who spoke to FlightGlobal on 22 September at the annual Air & Spaces Forces Association (AFA) conference near Washington, DC.
That milestone comes after Beehive received a $12 million contract from the air force in late 2024 to mature the new line of turbojets, which will be targeting the market for long-range cruise missiles and uncrewed aircraft.
Since the October 2024 contract with the AFRL, Beehive has accelerated through the engine development process, moving from finalising production requirements to first engine to test in five months.
The company says it has on average tested a new engine every six weeks, using additive manufacturing to enable a rapid pace of powerplant fabrication and assembly.
Four Frenzy turbojets have been test fired over a six-month period, according to Beehive.
“Beehive’s rapid advancement with the Frenzy engine family is a testament to our team’s expertise and the transformative potential of additive manufacturing,” says Gordie Follin, the company’s chief product officer. “These test results exceed our expectations and reinforce our mission to provide the US military with affordable, high-performance propulsion systems that can be deployed at scale.”
The Frenzy engines range from 127-203mm (5-8in) in diameter and deliver 100-300lb (0.88-1.33kN) of thrust. The turbojet being delivered to the USAF will target an output of 200lb-thrust.
That powerplant will begin high-altitude testing in 2026 alongside a smaller Frenzy variant, a Beehive official tells FlightGlobal. The company hopes to begin producing the turbojets next year.
Beehive says initial testing over more than 20h of runtime indicates the Frenzy design surpasses power, fuel consumption and operational durability targets.
The company is displaying a 500lb-thrust turbojet demonstrator at the AFA conference.
