Episode 229 | Optimizing Air Freight with Autonomous Blended Wing Body Aircraft

Aleksey Matyushev, Co-Founder & CEO, Natilus joined Grayson Brulte on The Road to Autonomy podcast to discuss optimizing air freight with autonomous blended wing body (BWB) aircraft. 

A blended wing aircraft body enables 20% more volumetric space and 30% better fuel efficiency for freight cargo when compared to traditional aircraft design. 10% of the world’s good travel by air freight, yet comprise 90% o the value. With most of the world’s electronics being made in Asia, including the iPhone, air freight plays a vital role in the global supply chain. 

With a growing global pilot labor shortage, autonomous blended wing body aircrafts can ensure that the world’s supply chain continues to function without hiccups.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Current State of the Air Freight Market

2:38 Air Freight Routes

8:57 Natilus Flight Distances 

10:09 Blended Wing Body (BWB) Design

14:07 Economics of Natilus

17:59 Manufacturing the Aircraft

22:10 Why Build an Autonomous Aircraft?

26:14 Fuel

28:56 Scaling Manufacturing

30:08 Projected Aircraft Costs

31:05 Inspiration for Natilus

33:58 Future of Natilus

Recorded on Thursday September 19, 2024

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