Today at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, BETA Technologies and e-Smart Group (e-SG) announced an agreement for the sale of BETA’s all-electric ALIA CTOL aircraft.
This partnership, which furthers BETA’s international expansion and e-Smart’s commitment to sustainable logistics solutions, advances low-emission air cargo operations across the broader European Region (EU), UK and the UAE.
The agreement includes a deposit-backed firm order for five of BETA’s electric ALIA CTOL aircraft and purchase rights for 15 more.
e-Smart Group, parent of the new all-electric operator e-Smart Avia, plans to use the aircraft to serve express, e-commerce and high value verticals, such as medical, life science, aircraft on the ground (AOG) spares, and more.
The operations would be focused across the EU, UK and the UAE.
This purchase order from a mission-driven operator positioned to deploy electric aviation in logistics operations, marks another step in growing BETA’s international presence.
e-Smart Group — which has a specialised expertise in serving its existing airline and logistics clients — views the addition of BETA’s technology as a means to allow those clients to expand
their product portfolios with greater speed and reliability than previously possible.
Simon Newitt, Head of Global Sales at BETA Technologies said: “Our agreement with e-Smart Group marks an exciting step in BETA’s global expansion.
“eSmart delivers on a wide-ranging, high-value mission set, from cargo and ecommerce to critical medical goods, which ALIA is uniquely designed to support.
“We look forward to partnering to bring next-generation logistics and electric aviation to several new territories, and with it a clean, reliable, low-cost operation.”
Stan Wraight, President and CEO of SASIWorld, and one of the founding partners of e-Smart Group said: “Introducing cargo operations with electric airplanes is a natural evolution for e-Smart Group, fully aligned with our strategy to meet – and exceed – our clients’ expectations for reliable and fast time-definite air logistics.
“The ALIA CTOL aircraft will enable us to deliver low-emission, sustainable, yet cost-effective solutions by leveraging the latest technology in cargo aviation.”
Jacques Heeremans, owner of IAS Inter Aviation Services, and co-founder of e Smart Group with Mr. Wraight and Mr. Ilin, added: “We are already seeing strong interest from express and e-commerce clients eager to integrate the ALIA CTOL into their operations.
“Beyond that, we believe this innovative aircraft will become highly sought after for charter and regular shipments of special cargo – such as life sciences, critical spare parts, high-value goods.”
BETA’s ALIA CTOL is designed for regional transport, with a 560 kilo (1,250 pound) payload, and 5.6 cubic meter cabin interior for optimised efficiency, cost, and quiet, low-emission operation.
Its performance and lower operating costs make it highly suited for high-frequency routes connecting major hubs to secondary markets — a key focus for e-Smart Group as it launches service in 2027.
BETA also manufactures electric infrastructure to support the aircraft operations. The company is deploying an international network, with more than 50 sites online in the U.S. as of August 31, 2025, and additional locations in Canada.
Last week, BETA announced the expansion of this network to Abu Dhabi, with two site locations across the region.
By signing with e-Smart Group, BETA extends its customer base to include operators with deep connections across both the European and Middle Eastern aviation sectors — a critical element in bringing electric aircraft into new regulatory environments and complex airspace.
BETA’s ALIA platform is currently undergoing FAA type certification and is engineered for all-weather operations, IFR capability, and a range of cargo and passenger use cases.