Are sends electric? Revolutionary aircraft takes flight

April 15, 2026

2 min read

Loganair and BETA successfully showcased an electric aircraft flight on the Glasgow to Dundee route as part of a series of demonstrations that will be used to inform Royal Mail how it can integrate electric aircraft into its daily post flights to deliver to remote Scottish communities.

Future flights are planned between Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Orkney, carrying letters and parcels.

The aircraft that was used is BETA’s ALIA CTOL, an all-electric model designed for regional cargo and passenger operations, with a maximum range of 336 nautical miles and a payload capacity of up to 560kg. It recharges in 20-40 minutes using BETA’s fast-charging system and can operate from existing runways, with no need for new airport infrastructure.

Royal Mail delivers to 32 million addresses in the UK every day, which includes the country’s most remote communities. The demonstration series shows how electric aircraft could be deployed into this network without disruption.

It forms part of Royal Mail’s strategy to achieve net zero by 2040, keeping only essential routes.

Logistics UK’s Senior Policy Manager Alexandra Herdman said: “This demonstration is an encouraging step forward in exploring how zero-emission aviation can support vital connectivity for remote communities while contributing to the sector’s decarbonisation goals.

“The ability to integrate electric aircraft into existing logistics networks without requiring significant new infrastructure is particularly promising, especially for time-sensitive services like mail delivery.

“As the industry continues to innovate, it will be important to ensure that regulatory frameworks, charging infrastructure and operational models evolve in tandem to enable wider adoption across the UK.”