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Hermeus Flies Second Supersonic Test Plane in Nine Months

Maiden flight of company’s Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 follows testing of a smaller, less powerful model.

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 01:30 PM ET

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Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 prepares for its first flight over White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. [Credit: Hermeus]

Key Takeaways:

Hermeus successfully debuted its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 supersonic test aircraft, marking its second successful first flight in nine months as part of a rapid, iterative development process.
The Mk 2.1, larger and faster than previous models, features a unique Chimera engine system (turbojet-ramjet hybrid) designed to achieve supersonic speeds and eventually lead to a Mach 5 hypersonic Darkhorse UAS.
Hermeus is accelerating the development of high-speed uncrewed aircraft to provide the U.S. military with critical high-speed capabilities sooner, evidenced by significant partnerships and contracts with defense agencies.

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For the second time in just over nine months, an Atlanta-based company this week debuted a new supersonic test aircraft.

Hermeus on Monday said it completed the maiden flight of its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1, one of several test articles the company is developing as it iterates toward its flagship Darkhorse—a reusable, multi-mission, hypersonic uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for defense and national security missions.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.