Textron Pulling Plug on eAviation Division

Textron, Inc. is shutting down its Textron eAviation business unit and redistributing the division’s electric and conventional aviation activities among its other subsidiaries, the company revealed on October 17 in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 8-K filing. Plans to eliminate Textron eAviation as a separate reporting segment were approved by Textron, Inc. management on October 16 and will take effect on Jan. 4, 2026, at the start of the fiscal year. 

According to the filing, the bulk of Textron eAviation’s business, including the Pipistrel brand, will be absorbed by Textron Aviation. Pipistrel, which Textron acquired in 2022 when it launched the eAviation division, manufactures composite light aircraft including the Velis Electro, the world’s first type-certified fully electric airplane, motorgliders, and the Panthera high-performance piston single, which is undergoing EASA CS-23 certification. It has also been developing the Nuuva family of hybrid-electric VTOL multirole drones and a special mission platform called Surveyor.

Defense-related activities under the Textron eAviation umbrella will move over to Textron Systems, the conglomerate’s defense business, “which is best suited to provide more direct access to the targeted customer base for these products,” the filing notes. This suggests that the Nuuva and Surveyor development programs may continue under Textron Systems, which already produces military drones. 

Some of Textron eAviation’s research and development activities pertaining to digital flight controls and air vehicle management systems, “which we expect will benefit several of our segments, will be reported within Corporate expenses,” the company stated in its 8-K filing. These activities stem from the company’s acquisition in May 2024 of German engineering firm Amazilia Aerospace.

Notably, the SEC report made no mention of Textron eAviation’s Nexus eVTOL program, which the company said it had slowed down earlier this year. The four-passenger, single-pilot aircraft was expected to achieve its first tethered flight this year. 

The company did not immediately respond to questions about the fate of the Nexus program or possible layoffs resulting from the realignment of its businesses. Following the restructuring, Textron will have five reporting segments: Textron Aviation, Bell, Industrial, Textron Systems, and Finance.