Cleantech start-up Uplift360 and leading aerospace company Leonardo have achieved a breakthrough in composite circularity by transforming an end-of-life helicopter rotor blade into a prototype drone arm.

Using Uplift360 s proprietary low-temperature chemical recycling process ChemR, the partnership successfully recovered aerospace-grade carbon fibre from the composite structure of a rotor blade taken from a EH101, proving that chemically recycled materials can match the performance standards required for Defence and Aerospace applications. The initiative not only validates the feasibility of composite recycling but also strengthens the UK s drive toward a more sustainable and resilient supply chain for critical materials.

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, showing how end-of-life components can re-enter the value chain.

This collaboration directly supports the UK s Strategic Defence Review focus on strengthening supply chain resilience. Carbon fibre is critical to aerospace and military systems, yet the UK lacks sufficient recovery infrastructure. ChemR helps close that gap turning waste into a secure, domestic resource.

Sam Staincliffe, Co-founder and CEO of Uplift360, said: At Uplift360, we believe advanced materials should never go to waste. This project with Leonardo shows how ChemR can turn what was once unrecyclable into mission-ready material supporting a more resilient and sovereign Defence supply chain.

Clive Higgins, UK Chair and CEO of Leonardo, said,  Material recirculation is a key component of our Leonardo Sustainability Plan, helping us to reduce our waste and reuse materials where possible, ultimately building resilience in our supply chains. 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.