Project SEAN Trials Electric Flights For Scotland

The new Scottish Electric Aviation Network (SEAN) consortium is aiming to “demonstrate the practical role electric aircraft could play within the country’s existing regional aviation network.” Following recent confirmation of £1.5 million ($2 million) in UK government funding, test flights are set to start next year, including a three-month assessment of Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 aircraft.

On July 23, consortium leader Bristow Helicopters explained that Project SEAN “aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to support future commercial deployment of electric aircraft while strengthening regional connectivity and contributing to broader decarbonization goals.” In addition to U.S.-baed Beta, other project partners include advanced air mobility consultants EA Maven, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, and vertiport developer Skyports Infrastructure.

As part of the venture, the group aims to glean operational insights from Alia demonstration flights across passenger, cargo and medical service routes. These will operate from a hub at Inverness Airport and connect with what Bristow described as “selected regional airports,” including Wick John O’Groats Airport in the far north-east of Scotland. Trips between these communities involve a three-hour, 120-mile drive with no scheduled airline or train services.

The new exercise is not Beta's first involvement in plans to improve public transportation in Scotland. In March, a separate project saw the aircraft complete its first electric flight demonstrations across the country, with Alia flying 18 missions in Scottish airspace. 

This campaign was conducted with the UK’s Royal Mail and regional airline Loganair. At the time, the latter confirmed that AGS Airports and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited were “now equipped to support future electric operations using Beta’s compact, mobile mini-cube charging solution.” 

SEAN’s funding is part of a wider initiative announced by the UK’s Department for Transport on July 23, which pledged an additional £7.3 million to help “eight innovative projects develop and test infrastructure that lets green flights take off from UK airports.” Alongside the SEAN initiative, the government also reaffirmed its support to help develop future ‘flying taxi’ services, hydrogen-powered flight, and further decarbonise airport operations. 

Bristow Norway and Beta have also conducted similar operational testing with the Alia CX300 in Norway, assessing potential commercial routes linking otherwise underserved rural routes. These started in August 2025, using a dedicated ‘test arena’ approved by national authorities. On July 20, Loganair also confirmed it was purchasing five Alia aircraft, expected to enter service on regional Scottish routes in 2029.