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.
Beehive uses laser powder bed fusion to create the engines, and they claim that thousands of Frenzy engines can be reliably produced each year at 60% lower cost than traditional systems. In September 2025, the company shared that they completed four comprehensive tests on Frenzy engines, in just six months. These engines performed above requirements, and also showed that development timelines could be reduced to months, rather than years.
Beehive Industries fabricates the engines with metal powder.
Support from the Pentagon
The $29.7 million award is managed through the SOSSEC consortium, which was formed to address the needs of the Department of Defense (DoD). The award supports a Small Expendable Turbine (SET) engine program, which is a component of the U.S. Air Force’s broader strategy to develop, produce, and qualify low-cost, disposable jet engines for uncrewed aerial systems and standoff systems. It falls under the Family of Affordable Mass Munitions (FAMM) prototyping effort led by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC). FAMM is a FY2026-focused, Pentagon-wide initiative aimed at developing a large-scale, cost-effective arsenal.
“Beehive is honored to partner with the U.S. Air Force in redefining the speed of defense. By harnessing additive manufacturing to collapse complex supply chains into scalable, 3D-printed propulsion, we are providing the ‘affordable mass’ essential to modern deterrence,” said Gordie Follin, Chief Product Officer at Beehive Industries. “This collaboration ensures our warfighters will have the high-volume, mission-ready capabilities they need to maintain a competitive edge in any theater.”
Beehive also started a “Pathfinder” program to validate production scalability. The results suggested that Beehive could begin mass engine production this year. These milestones, along with increased production, demonstrate that Beehive is transitioning from a development-focused company to a production-ready provider. To learn more about the development, see here.
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*All Photo Credits: Beehive Industries