Natilus flies subscale Kona prototype, validating its blended-wing cargo design

Natilus/Kona

Natilus completed multiple flights of a subscale Kona prototype from a private runway in Southern California, reaching 70 mph. The company said the flights confirmed three years of wind tunnel results and showed the shape flies stably without a complex autopilot, a known weak point of blended-wing designs.

• Data from the flights calibrates the autopilot code for the full-scale demonstrator.
• Full-scale first flight was then targeted for 2024.
• Natilus claimed purchase commitments for 460+ aircraft worth $6.8B at the time.