U.S. startup Natilus is conducting wind tunnel tests of the initial regional feeder member of its planned family of blended wing body uncrewed cargo aircraft.

The Natilus 3.8T is a twin turboprop with a payload of 3.8 metric tons and a range of 900 nm at 220 kt.

The blended wing body configuration provides a rectangular main deck cross section and a diamond-shaped cargo bay with 60% more volume than a conventional tube-and-wing freighter of the same weight, co-founder and CEO Aleksey Matyushev says. Cargo aircraft typically “cube out,” reaching their volume constraint before their weight limit, he noted.

Natilus says its uncrewed cargo aircraft will reduce operating costs 60% and emissions 50% compared with conventional freighters. The aircraft is being designed to be flown by a remote pilot from a ground station via dual-redundant satellite communications using Inmarsat and Iridium links.

Designed for flights between regional airports and cargo hubs, the Natilus 3.8T has the same 19,000-lb. takeoff gross weight as the Cessna 408 SkyCourier, which can carry three LD3 containers, but can accommodate seven LD3-45 or 12 modified LD3-New containers, Matyushev said.

A 1/10th-scale model of the Natilus 3.8T has been undergoing testing in the San Diego Wind Tunnel. The tests are intended to validate the stability and performance of the aircraft and provide data development control laws for the autopilot system that will enable the aircraft to the piloted remotely.

While the large, blended wing body airliners studied by Boeing and others pose the challenge of reduced longitudinal and directional stability at transonic speed, Matyushev said the 3.T is a relatively low-speed aircraft and is positively stable longitudinally. Therefore it requires a less complex autopilot.

“It flies exactly like a Beech King Air,” he said. “We have a simulator that is being fed the wind tunnel data [to] prove out that it is easy to fly.” The Natilus 3.8T is being designed for 3,500-ft. takeoff distance.

Natilus has begun building a prototype of the 3.8T, aiming for a first flight from its base at San Diego’s Brown Field Municipal Airport by the end of 2023. The startup is aiming for FAA Part 23 certification in 2025. The prototype will initially be piloted to reduce risk, Matyushev said.

Natilus’ plans to certify the autopilot for remotely piloted operation are based around FAA Advisory Circular 8130.34D. Issued in 2017, this establishes procedures for issuing special airworthiness certificates in the experimental category for uncrewed and optionally piloted aircraft.

“We will certify to the same standards as general aviation for manned aviation, with the caveat of an autopilot certified for autonomy,” he said. “There’s a pathway certification with the FAA, so it’s just a question of how quickly we can get it done.”

Longer-term, Natilus plans to develop a family of uncrewed cargo aircraft including turbofan-powered aircraft with transonic speed and intercontinental range and payloads of 66, 110 and 130 metric tons.

Source: Aviation Week Advanced Air Mobility Report – aviationweek.com/aam 

Read the entire article on AviationWeek.com.

In Africa, Europe, Asia, our new 3.8T autonomous aircraft will become an essential mode of rapid and safe transportation

The U.S. based autonomous aircraft designing and manufacturing company Natilus announces its expansion to Brown Field in San Diego. The company will be hosting engineering and manufacturing facilities for the Natilus family of aircraft. “As the design of the prototype aircraft nears completion, we are expanding the team and facilities to move into final assembly. Our tier one suppliers are excited about the new platform which will reduce carbon emissions, while increasing cargo volume,” stated Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus.

Read the entire article on Itln.in.

Autonomous cargo aircraft manufacturer Natilus has picked Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego as its manufacturing and engineering base.

The Brown Field facility includes a 12,000 square foot facility for final assembly, structural testing, systems integration and secondary structural bonding.

Brown Field’s 8,000 foot runway can accommodate large aircraft and 1,500 square feet of office space will supplement Natilus’ engineering offices in downtown San Diego.

Read the entire article on AirLogisticsInternational.com.

Natilus, a U.S. company producing the world’s first purposefully-designed and manufactured autonomous aircraft for air freight transport, has announced its expansion to Brown Field to host engineering and manufacturing facilities for the Natilus family of aircraft.

The Brown Field facility includes a 12,000 square-foot hangar for prototype final assembly, structural testing, systems’ integration and secondary structural bonding. There is also a generous 8,000 foot runway for testing, with the ability to land large, oversized cargo aircraft. The 1,500 square feet of additional office space will supplement Natilus’ engineering offices in downtown San Diego.

Read the entire article on TheAfricaLogistics.com.

• Natilus aircraft designed around soaring demand for e-commerce with 60% more volume and cost savings.
• Natilus 12,000 square-foot facility at Brown Field includes hangar, runway and engineering for final assembly and testing of the Natilus family of autonomous cargo aircraft.
• Building of first Natilus (3.8T) aircraft begins at Brown Field hangar, with additional wind tunnel testing in early May 2022.
• Natilus aims to increase the air cargo industry from the current $280B market to $480B by the end of the decade.

SAN DIEGO, CA (April 20, 2022) – Natilus, a U.S. company producing the world’s first purposefully-designed and manufactured autonomous aircraft for air freight transport, has announced its expansion to Brown Field to host engineering and manufacturing facilities for the Natilus family of aircraft.

The Brown Field facility includes a 12,000 square-foot hangar for prototype final assembly, structural testing, systems’ integration and secondary structural bonding. There is also a generous 8,000 foot runway for testing, with the ability to land large, oversized cargo aircraft. The 1,500 square feet of additional office space will supplement Natilus’ engineering offices in downtown San Diego.

“As the design of the prototype aircraft nears completion, we are expanding the team and facilities to move into final assembly,” stated Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus. “Our tier one suppliers are excited about the new platform which will reduce carbon emissions, while increasing cargo volume. On continents, such as Africa and parts of Asia, with limited infrastructure, our new 3.8T autonomous aircraft will become an essential mode of rapid and safe transportation.”

Natilus has initial plans to design and manufacture a family of four aircraft. The first aircraft – the 3.8 ton payload short-haul feeder UAV – has begun manufacturing for first flight in 2023. Last month, Natilus signed a contract with Collins Aerospace for design, development, and integration of a specialized loading system. Additionally, Natilus has designs for a 60 ton payload medium/long range UAV; 100 ton payload long-range UAV and 130 ton long-range large cargo aircraft. All aircraft use JetA or SAF fuels and existing ground infrastructure and standard air cargo containers, to produce an innovative turnkey solution for its customers.

Earlier this year, Natilus announced purchase commitments of more than $6 billion for delivery of more than 440 aircraft in pre-orders, from major airlines and integrators, including Volatus Aerospace, Astral Aviation, Aurora International, Dymond and Flexport.


About Natilus, Inc
Natilus was co-founded by Aleksey Matyushev and Anatoly Star in 2016 to democratize freight transport by designing and manufacturing a new fleet of autonomous cargo aircraft that will increase volume by 60% and lower costs by 60%, while reducing carbon emissions by 50%. The market for autonomous cargo aircraft is greater than $280 billion, based on market research, however, Natilus believes that by lowering the cost of air cargo transport, it can introduce a new category of freight and expand the total addressable market of air freight to $470B once operations begin.

Natilus Fact Sheet:https://natilus.co/natilus-faqs/

Natilus Media Kit: https://natilus.co/media-kit/

Commercial drones moving cargo beyond small amounts of pharmaceuticals are inching closer in the US.

The authorities there are considering proposals for drone corridors, and FedEx is targeting 2023 for trials of the Chaparral autonomous aircraft between its sort centres.

Quote from The Loadstar: Interest in heavy cargo drone activities is on the rise. In February, forwarder Flexport made headlines with a tentative order for two 100-tonne cargo drones from California-based developer Natilus, with an option for a third.

Natilus is planning a fleet of four drone models, with payloads of 3.8 tonnes, 60 tonnes, 100 tonnes and 130 tonnes, to serve airports just like the commercial aircraft they would compete or interline with. The drones will use the same ULDs and ground handling equipment as regular freighters.

Rather than operate its drones itself, Natilus plans to design, build and sell its unmanned aircraft like a traditional aircraft manufacturer. 

Read the entire article on TheLoadstar.com.

Natilus signs contract with Collins Aerospace for design, development, and integration of specialized cargo loading system for the first Natilus prototype.

Natilus, Inc., the U.S. company working to democratize global freight transport by making air cargo more competitive, recently announced major milestones in the design and development of its fleet of autonomous aircraft and an important new contract with Collins Aerospace to provide specialized cargo loading systems. Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry.

Read the entire article on StatTimes.com.

Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus, discusses the future of supply chains, the advantages of autonomous aircraft, how to lower costs and other solutions to expand the air cargo market.

US autonomous cargo aircraft developer Natilus has signed a contract with Collins Aerospace for the design, development and integration of specialised cargo loading system for the first Natilus prototype.

Collins is designing a specialised cargo loading system for the Natilus 8T 3.8 ton prototype with rolling ball mats, attachments, and standard flip-up latches. The prototype will accommodate LD3-New and LD3-45 containers and bulk loads.

“The Natilus contract with Collins is instrumental in creating efficiencies of operation, including increasing aircraft cargo volume,” said Natilus

Read the entire article on AirCargoNews.net.

Key Points

• Natilus signs contract with Collins Aerospace for design, development and integration of specialized cargo loading system for the first Natilus prototype
• Blended wing design and new loading systems will increase efficiencies, lowering costs by 60%, increasing cargo volume by 60% and cutting carbon emissions in half
• Natilus begins production of vertical tails for N3.8T aircraft
• Natilus on track for first flight in 2023

San Diego, CA (March 15, 2022) – Natilus, Inc., the U.S. company working to democratize global freight transport by making air cargo more competitive, today announced major milestones in the design and development of its fleet of autonomous aircraft and an important new contract with Collins Aerospace to provide specialized cargo loading systems.

Natilus is offering a family of autonomous cargo aircraft with greater efficiency and cost-savings by innovating the design of freight transport aircraft to increase cargo volume by 60%. This will lower the cost of freight operations by 60% and cut carbon emissions in half.

“Currently, 90% of all goods are transported worldwide via shipping, but 90% of all ‘value goods’ are shipped through air freight – just because of current capacity and cost,” explained Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus. “Our goal is to dramatically change this equation through efficiencies of design and operations to make air freight more competitive to capture market share. Our new contract with Collins brings us another step closer to entering the cargo aircraft manufacturing market.”

“Collins Aerospace is a global leader in the design, manufacture and certification of advanced cargo handling systems for commercial aircraft,” said Alison Davidson, vice president and general manager, Cargo/Hoist & Winch for Collins Aerospace. “For the Natilus family of aircraft, we’re adapting proven cargo handling designs with millions of flight hours in service to create a new system that efficiently uses the additional space of the Natilus blended wing design to maximize cargo capacity.”

The Natilus contract with Collins is instrumental in creating efficiencies of operation, including increasing aircraft cargo volume. Collins is designing a specialized Cargo Loading System for the Natilus 3.8T prototype with rolling ball mats, attachments, and standard flip-up latches and will accommodate LD3-New and LD3-45 containers and bulk loads.

The Natilus family of cargo aircraft includes:

• 8T: 3.8 ton payload short-haul feeder UAV
• N60T: 60 ton payload medium/long range UAV
• N100T: 100 ton payload long-range UAV
• N130T: 130 ton payload long-range UAV

The design of the Natilus 3.8T is complete and has undergone initial wind tunnel testing. Natilus is also initiating production of the vertical tails of the N3.8T aircraft this week, another major milestone in the company’s timeline. Flights are scheduled to begin in 2023. Natilus recently announced more than $6B in pre-orders

About Collins Aerospace, Inc.
Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Collins Aerospace has the extensive capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and broad expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. For more information, visit CollinsAerospace.com.

About Natilus, Inc.
The mission of Natilus is to democratize freight transport by designing and manufacturing a new fleet of autonomous cargo aircraft that will increase volume by 60% and lower costs by 60%, while reducing carbon emissions by 50%. The market for autonomous cargo aircraft is greater than $280 billion, based on market research, however, Natilus believes that by lowering the cost of air cargo transport, it can introduce a new category of freight and expand the total addressable market of air freight to $470B once operations begin. Natilus aircraft use existing ground infrastructure and standard air cargo containers, as well as offer remote piloting to produce an innovative turnkey solution for its customers. For more information, visit www.natilus.co and follow us on social media @Natilus.

Natilus Fact Sheet and access to photos:
https://natilus.co/natilus-faqs/
https://natilus.co/media-kit/