BETA Technologies had on display at the show its Alia MV250 military logistics drone. The hybrid electric drone has a tactical range of 250 nautical miles with 2,000 pounds and 750 nautical mile radius with 1,000 pounds and a cruise speed of 170 plus knots.
According to BETA Defense: “The MV250 hybrid-electric autonomous aircraft flies further, faster and with lower sustainment costs than market peers. Its durability and rapid re-configuration capabilities make it the flexible, responsive, multi-mission platform that meets the demands of current and future military requirements.”
“The basic physics of the MV250 enable significantly longer range, higher speed and a lower cost of operations when compared to tiltrotor and legacy platforms. I believe we should be offering our military the most robust and best equipment in the world to maintain superiority and thus deterrence,” said Kyle Clark, Founder and CEO of BETA Technologies. “MV250 uses advanced airframes and technologies we at BETA have spent years flying and combines them with exceptional products from GE Aerospace and Sikorsky. The combination gives commanders a highly available, adaptable platform that can evolve as operational needs change, all at a lower procurement cost and a lower logistics tail.” The MV250 has a reposition range of 1,300 nautical miles and carries a 2,000-pound payload within a tactical range of 250 nautical miles while delivering greater speed and higher operational availability. By combining hybrid-electric propulsion with a simplified aircraft architecture, the platform reduces maintenance and sustainment requirements while expanding commanders’ ability to quickly move equipment, munitions, medical supplies, and critical cargo across dispersed operating environments at a low cost.
The series hybrid electric turbogenerator is developed in collaboration with GE Aerospace under the Joint Technology Development Agreement between GE Aerospace and BETA. The turbogenerator drastically extends operational flight range and provides ground-based power for auxiliary equipment, say the companies.
The open architecture of BETA’s flight control system is agnostic to the autonomous mission system and can integrate with a variety of mission platforms. BETA has been flying their all-electric airplanes with both Sikorsky MATRIX™ systems and BETA’s internally developed autonomy systems. An uncrewed fuselage, MOSA (modular open systems approach), and autonomous flight capability further enable the platform to adapt to evolving mission requirements while maintaining a common technology foundation.
For more information
https://investors.beta.team/news-events/press-releases/detail/111/beta-technologies-unveils-mv250-delivering-greater-range-higher-speed-and-lower-costs-for-military-logistics
(Image: Urban Air Mobility News)