Natilus freight drone's blended wing design packs in 60% more cargo

Natilussaysitsblendedwingdronecancarry60percentmorecargothananaircraftofthesamesize

VolatusAerospace

VIEW2IMAGES

Asitstands,airfreightisincrediblyquickbutalsoveryexpensive,whileoceanfreightisfarslowerbutverycost-effective.CalifornianstartupNatilusisouttobridgethegapwithanewbreedofunmannedaircraftthatusesauniqueblendedwingbodytopackin60percentmorecargothananaircraftofthesamesize,withthefirstdeliveriesplannedformidwaythroughthedecade.

TheNatilusN3.8Twillbethefirstcabofftherankforthestartup,withamaximumtake-offweightof8,618kg(19,000lb)andarangeof1,667km(1,035miles).Itwillbecapableofcarryingloadsofupto3,855kg(8,500lb)andhaveenoughspaceforfarmorecargoinsidethanatraditionalaircraftofthesameweight.

Further,Natilusclaimsthecostsandcarbondioxideemissionsperpoundwillbereducedby50percent,comparedtotraditionalairfreight.Thecompanyattributestheseperformancegainstotheblendedwingbody,anairframedesignwithnodistinguishinglinesbetweenthewingsandfuselage,saidtobeafirstforcargoaircraft.

Natilusexpectsdeliveriesforitsunmannedcargodronetokickoffin2025

VolatusAerospace

“Fromafreightperspective,itmakesalotsense,”AlekseyMatyushev,CEOandco-founderNatilus,saidlastyear.“Ithas50percentmorevolumeinternally,soitdoublestheamountofrevenuecargoperflight.Withconventionaldesignsyoustarttorunoutvolumebeforeyoumaximizethetakeoffweightoftheairplane.”

NatilusclaimsthelatestdesignsfortheNatilusN3.8Tinfactallowfor60percentmorecargo.Thetwin-engineturbopropaircraftisdesignedtoberemotelypilotedand,initially,thehopeistouseitforsmallpackagedeliveryonadomesticbasisintheUS,beforelargerversionsrollofftheproductionlinewithfargreaterpayloadcapacitiesandenoughrangeforintercontinentaltravel,includingtheplanned130Tdesignedtocover8,220km(5,112miles).

ThecompanylastyearenteredanagreementwithSiemenstousethecompany'sengineeringsoftwaretocontinuedevelopingitsproducts,andhasnowsignedanagreementwithdronenetworkoperatorVolatusAerospace,whichwillnowreceivetheveryfirstproductionN3.8T.Theaircrafthasundergoneasecondroundofwindtunneltesting,showninthevideobelow,withdeliveriesslatedfor2025.