Natilus raises $28M to advance blended-wing cargo aircraft

San Diego-based blended-wing-body aircraft developer Natilus has raised $28 million in series A financing as it moves toward building and flying its first full-scale cargo aircraft prototype.

The round was led by Draper Associates with Flexport among other investors, according to a release today.

[caption id="attachment_57295390" align="alignnone" width="870"] The Kona is the first aircraft that Natilus is developing. (Courtesy/Natilus)[/caption] The funding will support completion of manufacturing for Natilus’ first aircraft, the Kona, a regional cargo freighter that the company expects to fly within twenty-four months.

Natilus says its blended-wing platform delivers a 30% reduction in fuel burn and up to 50% lower carbon emissions and operating costs compared with conventional tube-and-wing aircraft, driven by aerodynamic efficiency and higher internal volume. The Kona is designed to carry 3.8 tonnes.

The manufacturer is targeting the air cargo market first, against a backdrop of constrained global aircraft supply.

Over the past year, Natilus has expanded its intellectual property portfolio and begun planning domestic production. In July, the company was awarded a patent covering Kona’s diamond-shaped cargo bay , and also this year began a site search for its first U.S. manufacturing facility .

The company reports a commercial order book of more than 570 aircraft, valued at approximately $24 billion.

Natilus is pursuing FAA Part 23 Amendment 64 certification for Kona and aims to deliver the first aircraft later this decade.

Cargo Facts will present four invaluable events for airfreight professionals in the first half of 2026, starting with Cargo Facts LATAM, on Feb. 10-12. To see the agendas and register for the events, visit CargoFactsEvents.com .

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