Hermeus' Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 vehicle readies for its first flight Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at Spaceport America (photo credit: Hermeus)LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Monday, March 2, 2026) — Hermeus, a high-speed aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., celebrated a successful first flight of its latest Quarterhorse aircraft at Spaceport America.
The flight of the Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 was the second first flight conducted by Hermeus in less than a year and the first from Spaceport America since the company began operations there in December 2025. One of the largest unmanned aircraft to fly, Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 is comparable in size to an F-16 and powered by a Pratt & Whitney (an RTX business) F100 engine.
The inaugural flight of Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 was a remote pilot operation conducted from Hermeus' ground-based flight deck. The flight was the first in a planned campaign to see the unmanned aircraft to reach supersonic speeds.
"We're building and flying aircraft on timelines that match the urgency of the world we're in," said AJ Piplica, CEO and founder of Hermeus. "Today's flight kicks off a critical flight test campaign that will ultimately get us to supersonic speeds, bringing the United States closer to having the high-speed capability it needs now, instead of decades from now."
The Quarterhorse program follows a rapid, repeatable development roadmap in which multiple aircraft are designed, built and flown in quick succession. The Mk 2 phase of development for the company is made up of a series of distinct aircraft, focused on achieving and expanding supersonic flight. Quarterhorse Mk 2.2 is the next iteration and is expected to become the world's fastest unmanned aircraft.
"Hermeus wanted to move fast, and we were able to move fast with them, allowing them to build up a site suitable for this kind of unique operation," said Scott McLaughlin, Executive Director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. "This is a great example of Spaceport America working with private industry and our partners at the Department of War and the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range to advance the nation's technology and future."
Hermeus will continue to move toward its end goal of unlocking sustained ramjet-powered flight through its Quarterhorse Mk 2 program. Ramjets use high-speed airflow to initiate fuel mixing and thrust, and are most often used in experimental vehicles that operate at or above Mach 2.
"We're grateful for the opportunity to operate at Spaceport America," Piplica added. "The Spaceport team and the professionals at White Sands Missile Range have been strong partners as we've prepared for this campaign. We're here to move fast, safely, and maximize our learning with every test window. This range gives us the space and flexibility to do just that."
Spaceport America ( www.spaceportamerica.com ) is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. The FAA-licensed launch complex, situated on 18,000 acres adjacent to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico, offers a rocket-friendly environment: 6,000 square miles of restricted airspace, low population density, a 12,000-foot by 200-foot runway, vertical launch complexes,and about 340 days of sunshine and low humidity.
Some of the most respected companies in the commercial space industry are tenants at Spaceport America: Virgin Galactic, HAPSMobile, AeroVironment, UP Aerospace, SpinLaunch, Swift Engineering, Prismatic Ltd., a subsidiary of BAE Systems, and Hermeus.
Hermeus ( www.hermeus.com ) is reclaiming the lost art of rapid prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in history. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration over traditional cycles, the company delivers high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. Working with the Department of War, the company provides the high-Mach and hypersonic capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.
