Natilus, a leading innovator in aerospace manufacturing, has announced a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies to fast-track the development and production of its sustainable, blended-wing-body commercial aircraft in the United States. The collaboration leverages Palantir’s powerful AI-driven operating system to enhance Natilus’s design, engineering, and manufacturing processes-enabling greater efficiency and resilience across its operations and supply chain.
As the aviation sector faces rising demand for both cargo and passenger aircraft, U.S. manufacturing capacity struggles to keep pace-particularly amid growing pressures to adopt sustainable aviation technologies. Airlines and logistics providers are actively seeking advanced, cost-effective aircraft solutions that also align with long-term environmental goals.
To meet this demand, Natilus is developing a fleet of blended-wing-body aircraft designed for superior performance and sustainability. Among its lineup are the KONA, a regional cargo freighter, and the HORIZON, a 200-passenger aircraft. Both models feature an advanced carbon fiber airframe, offering significant improvements in fuel efficiency, carbon emissions, and payload capacity compared to traditional aircraft.
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“The U.S. desperately needs a boost in aircraft manufacturing, and Natilus is operating at the forefront of sustainable aircraft manufacturing,” said Aleksey Matyushev, Co-Founder and CEO of Natilus. “We made a commitment to build the first manufacturing facility for the world’s most efficient commercial aircraft here in the U.S. Our success hinges on accelerating our production capabilities, and leveraging Palantir’s AI-driven platform will allow us to transform our manufacturing operations to run more efficiently and meet customer demand for the cargo and passenger markets.”
As part of the partnership, Natilus will deploy Palantir Warp Speed, a cutting-edge solution providing real-time data insights, predictive modeling, and AI-based analytics. The platform will initially support the optimization of supply chain management and manufacturing workflows, with future applications expected to include predictive maintenance, disruption recovery, and live aircraft performance tracking for continuous product refinement.
“Natilus is delivering the future of sustainable aircraft, and we are extremely proud of deploying software that supports the sustained competitive advantage of their blended-wing-body aircraft,” said Emily Nguyen, Head of Industrials at Palantir. “By providing the foundation on which Natilus will integrate all aspects of their aircraft design, engineering and manufacturing, Palantir is committed to helping Natilus build faster and strengthen the U.S.’s position in the global aviation landscape.”