Rune Aero

Overview

In contested, infrastructure-limited environments like island chains, warfighters lack a scalable way to move critical cargo. Traditional aircraft require long runways and fuel convoys. That logistics footprint is vulnerable and unsustainable. In some cases, it takes 7 gallons of fuel to deliver one. Rune Aero is developing an autonomous, low-noise hybrid-electric cargo aircraft capable of short takeoff and landing. It’s designed to deliver meaningful payloads where large transports can’t go and small UAVs can’t carry enough while reducing fuel consumption. Pre-field. We’re conducting all-electric subscale prototype flight testing, and are preparing for hybrid-electric propulsion (HEP) hardware development, and flight testing. Currently at TRL 4 with working subscale systems and NASA-backed design and modeling efforts under multiple SBIR grants. Our advantage lies in our aircraft-level configuration and systems integration - combining STOL aerodynamics, HEP, and scalable autonomy from the ground up. IP covers HEP architecture and configuration. We’re engaging NASA, AFWERX, and direct DoD stakeholders to access field programs. On the commercial side, we’re targeting middle-mile logistics and time-sensitive medical transport. Our team includes aerospace engineers and PMs from Bombardier, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, McKinsey, and Amazon Prime Air. Unlike VTOLs or autonomy retrofits, Rune is purpose-built for contested logistics - balancing range, payload, and footprint like no one else. Primary users: Air Mobility Command, expeditionary logistics officers, Marine Littoral Regiments, and SOCOM sustainment teams - whose daily challenge is delivering mission-critical cargo without relying on fuel convoys or fixed infrastructure.