Huge congratulations to the team and a big step forward as Natilus Aerospace successfully launched the first flight test of their autonomous cargo drone.
The Natilus Kona cargo drone remains on track for its first flight in 2024.
San Diego-based Natilus has begun flight testing of a scale-model prototype of its 4.3-tonne-capable Kona autonomous cargo drone. The series of flight tests occurred at a private airport in the southern California desert, Natilus told Air Cargo Next. During the test, the one-quarter-scale composite model reached speeds of 60 knots, validating the aerodynamic performance.
The first step for a new vision for air freight
Natilus is revolutionizing the 75-year-old status quo of freight transportation through innovation and advanced technologies, to make air freight costs competitive to cargo shipping and dramatically improve delivery times.
Natilus has designed and developed a blended-wing, autonomous global air freight system that can offer services at a fraction of the cost of today’s transport, while reducing negative impacts on our environment.