Natilus, a U.S.-based aerospace startup, has entered a decisive stage in its mission to revolutionize air cargo by beginning test flights of its Kona subscale prototype. This milestone signals progress toward the company’s long-term goal of developing fully autonomous, blended-wing-body cargo aircraft capable of transforming global logistics.

The Kona demonstrator features a blended-wing-body design, a configuration that offers aerodynamic efficiency and expanded cargo volume. Historically, this type of design presented stability challenges, but Natilus’ early tests have demonstrated reliable performance, confirming that the aircraft can maintain stability in controlled flight even before the integration of complete autopilot systems.

During initial tests at a private airstrip in Southern California, the Kona prototype reached speeds of up to 70 mph (around 110 km/h). These flights, conducted under remote-pilot control, were focused on validating aerodynamic models and proving “open-loop” stability. The successful results provide confidence as Natilus advances toward scaling the aircraft for real-world cargo operations.

The full-scale Kona is designed to carry more than four metric tons of freight and operate from short or even unpaved runways, significantly broadening its potential use cases. The company has also announced progress on critical components, such as propeller agreements with suppliers and completion of vertical tail assemblies for larger prototypes.

With billions in booking commitments already secured, Natilus is positioning itself as a leader in the autonomous cargo space. The launch of these flight tests represents not only a tec