Beehive Industries Invests $50M+ in EOS to Mass-Produce 3D-Printed Jet Engines for Defense Drones

On June 17, 2026, Beehive Industries announced a $50 million+ investment in EOS additive manufacturing technology to dramatically scale production of its Frenzy 8 3D-printed jet engine. The deal represents the largest publicly announced single order in EOS history, comprising 30 EOS M4 ONYX metal 3D printing systems.

The M4 ONYX is EOS’s flagship multi-laser metal platform, featuring a six-laser architecture, expanded build volume, and advanced process monitoring. Delivery of the 30 machines will take place over the next 12 months to Beehive’s manufacturing facilities in Centennial, Colorado and Knoxville, Tennessee, bringing the company’s total EOS fleet to 50 machines — one of the largest metal AM installations in the defense supply chain.

The Frenzy 8 is a small, 3D-printed jet engine designed for swarm-class drones and uncrewed aerial defense systems. Beehive Industries recently completed successful high-altitude tests and flight readiness validation, and holds a US$29.7 million U.S. Air Force contract covering vehicle integration, flight testing, and propulsion qualification. The company is also developing the Rampart turbofan platform, targeting 1,000+ lbf thrust for larger uncrewed platforms.

“This investment is a direct response to unprecedented demand driven by major defense programs,” said Darius Ehteshami, COO/CFO of Beehive Industries. “EOS’s M4 ONYX platform gives us the throughput and reliability we need to deliver at scale.” Marie Niehaus-Langer, CEO of EOS, called the deal “a foundational moment” for additive manufacturing in propulsion, noting that “the transition from prototyping to serial production of mission-critical flight hardware is now underway.”

The announcement signals a pivotal shift in defense manufacturing: 3D-printed jet engines are moving from R&D novelty to production reality. For the broader additive manufacturing industry, the scale of this single order — and the speed at which it was placed following flight validation — demonstrates that metal AM has reached production-grade maturity for the most demanding aerospace applications. As geopolitical demand for drone swarms and distributed manufacturing capability accelerates, Beehive’s bet on EOS technology may prove to be a blueprint for how defense primes adopt additive manufacturing at scale.