Delta Black and Athule Aero announce strategic partnership

Delta Black Aerospace and Athule Aero, two of the most agile startups shaping the future of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), today announced a strategic partnership to co-develop next-generation propeller systems that enhance performance, reduce acoustic signatures, and accelerate deployment of the groundbreaking Delta Black, Raider 330, Group 3 UAS.

"Athule has been a valuable augmentation to the Delta Black engineering team. Their expertise with propeller design, analysis & testing is helping the Raider 330 achieve best in class performance," said Jeff Lydecker, CTO of Delta Black.

This collaboration marks a new model for aerospace innovation—one defined by speed, alignment, and shared vision. Athule's rapid design-to-test process combines real-time simulation with in-house fabrication to deliver custom propellers optimized for each aircraft and mission. Delta Black's Group 3 Hybrid- Electric Propulsion System (HEPS) Raider 330 platform, known for its VTOL capabilities and unmatched 28-hour endurance, will be among the first to integrate Athule's mission-specific propeller systems.

"Delta Black is building an elite Group 3 ISR and Logistics platform that yields the best-in-class Payload, Range, Endurance and Power (PREP)," said Clay Kroschel , CEO of Delta Black Aerospace. "Partnering with Athule allows us to move faster, cut acoustic signatures, and remain at the forefront of performance ultimately providing the Warfighter with better tools for combat."

"We founded Athule to partner with forward-leaning teams like Delta Black," added Tony Bacarella , CEO of Athule Aero. "They're pushing innovation across vehicle classes, and they move with urgency. This partnership is about aligning resources to unlock propulsion design that will enable more effective missions."

Their partnership debuts at AUVSI Xponential 2025 in Houston where live demonstrations, walkthroughs, and media interview opportunities are scheduled.