A San Diego-based aerospace startup has announced it has unveiled an aircraft that it says would cut emissions in half — just to start.
Drone and aircraft manufacturer Natilus has unveiled a new blended-wing-body aircraft called the Horizon, which it says is aimed at decarbonizing commercial aviation.
The aircraft will be able to carry up to 200 passengers, the company said in release.
The Horizon features conventionally configured landing gear and a slender fuselage, which enables the aircraft to be compatible with existing gate operations and airport infrastructure at major airports, Natilus says.
Chief executive officer and co-founder Aleksey Matyushev said the Horizon is in development because “the commercial aviation industry is looking for real solutions to become more sustainable, more efficient, and more profitable.”
“Passenger aircraft today have a traditional tube-and-wing design, in which the wing generates 80% of the lift,” Matyushev said in response to an email query.
“The blended wing body design is a fixed-wing aircraft without a strict distinction between the wings and the fuselage. The BWB design offers major advantages in fuel efficiency, payload capacity, and operational costs compared to the traditional tube-and-wing aircraft.”
Natilus was founded in the Bay Area in 2016 and moved to San Diego in 2021. They are hoping to take the Horizon to market by the early 2030s.
That is timed to meet the deadlines for carriers to make purchasing decisions on their next fleets to meet 2050 net-zero goals, Matyushev said.
The company is also developing an autonomous cargo aircraft called the Kona.
Story updated to correct spelling of “Matyushev” and clarify language Oct. 24, 2024 at 12:52 p.m.
