Beehive Industries powers drones with 3D printed engines

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $29.7 million contract to Beehive Industries to advance the Frenzy 8 engine, a 200-pound thrust turbojet manufactured using 3D printing. The agreement also includes the initial development of the Frenzy 6, a 100-pound engine aimed at unmanned air defense systems.

industrial 3D printing facility, large metallic drone engine being assembled by robotic arms, Frenzy 8 turbofan core with visible layer lines from additive manufacturing, glowing blue turbine blades spinning during test, orange heat shimmer rising from exhaust nozzle, engineer monitoring holographic performance data while holding inspection tool, bright workshop lighting casting sharp shadows on polished metal surfaces, photorealistic engineering visualization, ultra-detailed mechanical components, dramatic contrast between cool blue electronics and warm engine glow, cinematic technical illustration style

Additive manufacturing for unmanned defense engines 🚀

The Frenzy 8 is undergoing flight testing and vehicle integration, aiming for operational qualification for defense missions. 3D printing reduces parts and production times, key for a 200-pound thrust engine. Beehive will also manufacture the first prototype of the Frenzy 6, with half the thrust, to validate its compact design on lightweight aerial platforms.

3D printing doesn't print fuel, but it prints engines 🔥

While DIY enthusiasts 3D print dragon figures, Beehive prints 200-pound jet engines. $30 million for a drone to fly faster than your printer heating up PLA. Next up will be printing the pilot, though maybe AI is already doing that. The Air Force funds parts that used to take months and now come out in hours.