The most unusual factor about the Beriev Be-30 short-haul transport is the fact that it was the first landplane to be designed and developed by the Beriev design bureau. Seen publicly for the first time at the Soviet Aviation Day display at Domodedovo in 1967, it appeared subsequently at the 1969 Paris Air Show. Designated Be-30, and allocated the NATO codename 'Cuff, it was reported to have flown for the first time on 3 March 1967. Of high-wing monoplane configuration, the Be-30 was of all-metal structure and introduced such features as metal bonding, spot welding, and the use of stiffened skin panels of light alloy honeycomb. Because of the high-wing configuration, the retractable tricycle landing gear incorporated very stalky main units, these retracting into the rear of the engine nacelles. Power-plant of the prototype consisted of two 552kW Shvetsov ASh-21 radial piston engines, but two Glushenkov TVD-10 turboprops were used to power the very small number of production aircraft that followed. Accommodation was provided for a crew of two and 14 passengers, and advanced features included air-conditioning and blind-flying equipment that incorporated an autopilot and an automatic approach system.

It had been anticipated that the Be-30 would be built in large numbers for Aeroflot, but only a few were produced, presumably because of a decision to use the Czech Let L-410 Turbolet, of slightly larger capacity, as the standard short-haul type for service with Aeroflot.