Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Sikorsky Adds Matrix Autonomy to Beta's MV250 Military VTOL
Hybrid-electric VTOL joins Matrix-equipped fleet
Beta MV250 at Farnborough
Beta Technologies unveiled the autonomous MV250 at Farnborough. © David McIntosh/AIN

Vermont-based electric aircraft developer Beta Technologies debuted a full-scale example of the autonomous, defense-specific variant of its Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft on Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow. Dubbed MV250, the hybrid-electric aircraft is the latest uncrewed type to adopt Sikorsky's Matrix autonomy suite—technology also found on the Sikorsky S-70UAS U-Hawk, the Nomad UAS, and the optionally piloted Black Hawk.

The Alia MV250 builds on what Beta terms the “simplicity and common architecture already flying” in its crewed Alia CX300 electric airplane, which the company aims to certify for commercial operations this year.