L3Harris and Bye to develop all-electric multi-mission aircraft

L3Harris Technologies and Bye Aerospace have signed an agreement to develop an all-electric, multi-mission aircraft, which will provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for domestic and international operators.

The two US-based companies will modify Bye’s recently announced eight-seat, all-electric, twin-motor eFlyer 800 aircraft. The platform will feature two 670hp (500 kW) electric engines, which the two firms believe are well suited for the ISR mission set. It is planned for the eFlyer 800 to offer excellent mission range, persistent overwatch and payload capacities, with the added benefits of one-fifth of a traditional turboprop’s operating cost, zero emissions and a minimal logistical footprint for operations in the field.

eFlyer 800 multi-mission aircraft [L3Harris Technologies]
An impression of Bye Aerospace's all-electric eFlyer 800 in an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) configuration. L3Harris Technologies

The eFlyer 800’s all-electric motors do not combust fuel with air, creating torque from electricity alone and removing the engine limitations of legacy turboprop aircraft. All-electric propulsion allows the platform to operate with a low thermal signature and in virtual silence, both inside and outside the cockpit, which will enable new operational flexibilities in low- and high-altitude missions.

L3Harris will collaborate with Bye Aerospace using the latest digital engineering tools to model survivability, mission effectiveness, logistics and platform performance in multiple mission configurations. L3Harris is already experienced in providing multi-mission ISR solutions, with decades of work in missionizing platforms for a variety of missions using a wide variety of aircraft types.