Alpha Unmanned Parallel Flight Partnership Targets Long-Endurance Heavy-Lift UAV Operations

Alpha Unmanned Systems , a European leader in fuel-powered helicopter UAVs, Parallel Flight Technologies, a developer of next-generation unmanned aircraft systems, will collaborate to advance heavy-fuel propulsion technologies for unmanned aviation in support of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The collaboration focuses on adapting Parallel Flight’s Firefly UAS, a Group 3 unmanned aircraft, to operate on heavy fuel. This transition is designed to enable long-endurance, heavy-lift operations within naval and expeditionary environments, ensuring the technology aligns with existing military logistics and fuel infrastructures. The project leverages Parallel Flight’s proprietary Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor (PHEM) architecture, which allows the aircraft to carry payloads up to 100 lb (45 kg) with significantly greater endurance than all-electric platforms.

“We are very pleased to work with Alpha Unmanned Systems,” said Craig Stevens, CEO of Parallel Flight Technologies. “Alpha’s real-world experience with heavy-fuel propulsion has been directly applicable to our development objectives, helping us refine and validate our hybrid architecture to meet the unique demands of naval and expeditionary missions.”

Alpha Unmanned Systems brings more than a decade of expertise in designing, integrating, and operating heavy-fuel helicopter UAVs for defense, maritime, and security applications. Working closely with Parallel Flight’s engineering team, Alpha is helping accelerate the conversion of Parallel Flight’s proprietary Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor (PHEM) propulsion systems to heavy-fuel compatibility, a key enabler for fielding unmanned aircraft that align with existing military logistics and fuel infrastructures.

“The use of heavy-fuel engines is essential for unmanned aircraft deployed in challenging defense and maritime operating environments,” said Álvaro Escarpenter, CTO of Alpha Unmanned Systems. “We are proud to support Parallel Flight’s efforts and contribute our expertise in heavy-fuel UAV propulsion to this important program.”

Parallel Flight’s NDAA-compliant Firefly is a Group 3 UAS, produced in the USA and widely regarded as a heavy-lift workhorse. A two-person-portable quadcopter that fits in the back of a pickup truck, Firefly is optimized for expeditionary defense and industrial missions. Its patented Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor (PHEM) propulsion system enables payloads up to 100 lb (45kg) and endurance 10x greater than all-electric UAS, while also supplying 2 kW of continuous in-flight power to payloads. The platform is protected by five patents and supported by DIU, USDA, NASA, and NSF.

The collaboration reflects a shared focus on propulsion technologies that enhance operational flexibility, reduce logistical burden, and improve safety and endurance for unmanned systems operating in austere and high-tempo environments.

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