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
