Based in San Diego, Natilus is an aerospace startup developing a portfolio of efficient blended-wing-body aircraft that could transport passengers and cargo more sustainably.

According to the company, compared to the traditional tube-and-wing aircraft we use today, these designs could reduce fuel consumption by 30% while increasing payload capability by 40%.

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Natilus recently unveiled Horizon, the company's first passenger aircraft that could compete with the popular Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft. Horizon is in the same payload class with the ability to transport 200 passengers with cargo along intercontinental and transatlantic routes.

According to the company, Horizon's blended-wing-body aircraft design improves aerodynamic efficiency and boosts interior volume. The company expects to begin deliveries in the early 2030s, which Natilus believes to be in line with commercial carrier fleet purchasing decisions to meet the airline industry's 2050 net-zero goals.

The aircraft's larger volume stands to improve the flight experience, offering customizable cabin and seating layouts for up to 200 passengers. Horizon could also be much quieter than modern aircraft and compatible with existing airport infrastructure.

The Horizon is Natilus's second product. The company’s Kona is a blended-wing-body regional that remains on pace to start deliveries in the late 2020s.

The increased body volume also makes these aircraft a potential fit for hydrogen-electric propulsion. In May, Natilus partnered with ZeroAvia to put hydrogen-electric engines in Kona cargo aircraft. ZeroAvia's ZA600 will be the only hydrogen-electric propulsion source used in the novel Kona short-haul feeder UAV. The blended-wing body provides more room for hydrogen fuel storage.

Natilus was founded in 2016 with a pedigree that includes talent pulled from General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, Skunkworks and SpaceX.

The company isn't the only blended-wing-body game in town. In May, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences finished the conceptual design review process on a VTOL X-plane concept that has a similar design. Airbus unveiled its Maveric blended wing demonstrator back in 2020. And just last year, the U.S. Air Force invested $235 million in JetZero, another startup working on blended-wing body aircraft that could be used as military tankers and cargo planes.

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