Drone arm. Source | Uplift360 

Cleantech startup Uplift360 (Luxembourg and Bristol, U.K.) and aerospace company Leonardo (Rome, Italy) have successfully transformed an end-of-life (EOL) helicopter rotor blade into a prototype drone arm, proving the performance and potential of chemically recycled aerospace-grade composites.

Using its proprietary, low-temperature chemical recycling process, ChemR, Uplift360 extracted high-quality, reusable carbon fiber from a rotor blade taken from an EH101 three-engine helicopter, the forerunner of the AW101. once destined for incineration or landfill, the reclaimed fibers were repurposed into a structural component.

“This project with Leonardo shows how ChemR can turn what was once unrecyclable into mission-ready material — supporting a more resilient and sovereign defense supply chain,” notes Sam Staincliffe, co-founder and CEO of Uplift360.

The project began under an R&D contract with Leonardo in May 2025 and focused on testing ChemR’s ability to process complex composite waste. Uplift360 exceeded the brief — not only recovering the material but also validating its use in manufacturing. The collaboration directly supports the U.K.’s Strategic Defence Review focus on strengthening supply chain resilience.

Clive Higgins, U.K. chair and CEO of Leonardo, adds that material recirculation is a key component of the Leonardo Sustainability Plan. “Collaborating with innovators such as Uplift360, we can demonstrate how sustainability not only creates positive environmental and social impacts but delivers business and economic benefits.”