FutureFlight
UPS Will Test Beta's Electric Aircraft in UAE Cargo Missions
The UAE has granted UPS a temporary license to operate cargo-carrying versions of Beta’s two electric aircraft.
An artist's rendering of a Beta Alia-250 eVTOL aircraft with a UPS logo in flight
UPS will test Beta's electric airplane and eVTOL aircraft for cargo flights in the United Arab Emirates. The company previously committed to purchasing up to 150 of Beta's Alia-250 eVTOL aircraft, shown here in a rendered image. (Image: Beta Technologies)

Beta Technologies’ electric aircraft will soon be making cargo deliveries in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has given United Parcel Service the green light to begin testing electric aircraft for cargo operations within its borders. 

According to a statement from the UAE government, the UAE Regulations Lab (RegLab) has granted UPS a temporary license to operate cargo-carrying variants of Beta’s electric aircraft as part of its efforts “to accelerate the shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly transportation modes and enhance the sustainability of the air cargo industry in the UAE.”