Natilus Raises $28 Million to Advance Blended-Wing Cargo and Passenger Aircraft Program

New updates have been reported about Natilus.

Natilus, a U.S.-based developer of blended-wing-body aircraft, has raised $28 million in Series A funding to accelerate commercialization of its cargo and passenger platforms. The round was led by Draper Associates, with participation from strategic investors focused on aerospace, defense and freight logistics, and will fund completion of the first full-scale prototype of its KONA regional cargo aircraft, targeted for a first flight within 24 months.

The company will also invest in development of HORIZON EVO, a 200-plus-seat aircraft aimed at competing directly with Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’s A321neo, and has transitioned that design from a single-deck to a dual-deck configuration to enhance passenger safety and experience. Natilus claims its blended-wing designs can cut fuel use by 30% and reduce both operational costs and carbon emissions by roughly 50%, while increasing payload capacity by 40% versus conventional tube-and-wing aircraft.

Backed by over 570 aircraft pre-orders valued at about $24 billion from customers including cargo and passenger operators, Natilus is positioning itself as a new OEM entrant at a time when global aircraft demand is projected to exceed the combined output of Boeing and Airbus by some 15,000 units over 20 years. The company is pursuing FAA Part 23, Amendment 64 certification for KONA, conducting a search for a 250,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing site designed to build up to 60 KONA aircraft annually, and expects first KONA deliveries later this decade, followed by HORIZON EVO in the early 2030s.

Natilus is also targeting defense applications, highlighting KONA’s 3.8-ton payload and ability to operate from short, unpaved runways to support intra-theater lift, Agile Combat Employment and resupply in contested regions such as the Indo-Pacific. The company has engaged with the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense on potential use cases and has designed its aircraft to use existing engines, vertical tails for control, and compatibility with current airport infrastructure to ease adoption.

In parallel with the funding, Natilus has expanded its intellectual property portfolio, including a recent patent for KONA’s diamond-shaped cargo bay, and launched a national search for its first domestic production facility. Governance and strategic depth are being reinforced through the appointment of former Boeing executive Kory Mathews to the board, bringing experience from Phantom Works and Boeing Military Aircraft to help accelerate rapid prototyping and OEM-scale commercialization of Natilus’s blended-wing aircraft family.