Our Solution
We will build a network of autonomous dedicated freight-transport aircraft that are radically more efficient than current vehicles allowing us to sell transport capacity to industries and freight consolidators that need intercity deliveries at much lower cost and emissions than current modes.
The Start: A radically more efficient freight aircraft
Our aircraft integrates recent advances in aircraft technologies including composite structures, distributed electric propulsion systems, aerodynamic drag-reduction techniques, and critically autonomous navigation and control. Composites and autonomy allow for significant mass reductions in the aircraft while electric propulsion systems and drag reduction significantly increase the efficiency of the aircraft. According to our sizing models, we can achieve a roughly 80% reduction in energy usage per payload ton-mile. This efficiency improvement, the elimination of pilot costs, and the reduction in maintenance cost due to electric propulsion lead to a 40-50% reduction in cost per ton-mile, reducing freight costs and unlocking more direct deliveries and smaller and more remote communities.
Aircraft Concept highlighting blended-wing-body design and LD3 container capacity
Autonomy (20% Energy Savings): Autonomy allows the removal of pilot-related systems and climate control needs reducing fuselage volume, structural mass, and aerodynamic excrescences like windows and doors. Additionally, autonomy eliminates pilot costs and reduces constraints on routes, unlocking significantly increased utilization. TRL 7
Containerization (6 % Energy Savings): Integrating standardized containers improves volumetric efficiency of the payload bay reducing extra fuselage mass and drag by getting rid of unneeded surface area. Also, using standardized containers reduces sorting and loading time and manpower needed, reducing ground crew costs. TRL 9
Blended Wing Body (26% Energy Savings): BWB design integrates the fuselage and wings into a single lifting body, dramatically reducing wetted area and associated drag. Additionally, the integration of the wings and fuselage increases structural efficiency, resulting in a reduced wing and fuselage mass. The improved lift-to-drag ratio and lighter structure significantly decrease energy requirements per payload. TRL 7
Carbon Composites (16% Energy Savings): The lighter weight of carbon composite structures compared to traditional metals reduces the overall mass that needs to be lifted and transported. This lower structural weight means less energy is required for the same payload capacity. TRL 9
Distributed Electric Propulsion (48% Energy Savings): Multiple smaller electric motors allow for optimal thrust distribution and better aerodynamic integration. Electric propulsion eliminates many of the inefficiencies of combustion engines, while distribution allows for better boundary layer control and reduced drag, nearly halving energy consumption. Additionally, it unlocks the usage of turbogenerators which are ~30% more efficient than current turboprops. TRL 6
All of these technology integrations result in a much smaller and more efficient aircraft for the same payload further reducing energy, pilot, maintenance, and manufacturing cost.
Technology used to achieve ~80% reduction in energy usage per revenue payload-distance.
Data: Internal Sizing Tools
Our approach to the design and engineering of our aircraft allows us to integrate existing aircraft supplier’s technology into a superior package. Many competitors in this space rely on assumptions of advancements in current technologies like significant battery energy-density improvements or hydrogen fuel-cell systems. We do not. This allows us to quickly design and iterate on learnings and brings our entry into service forward.
The End: An integrated network of right-sized vehicles everywhere
Our aircraft’s cost and energy savings unlock service to additional communities, however, the real gains for industry and society come when we integrate more of freight into a unified network unlocking much greater consolidation and the square-cubed law gains in payload fraction and propulsion efficiency. To do this we will leverage the data gathered and relationships built with our initial regional air freight system to optimize our next offering for the next step in revolutionizing middle-mile logistics. This endeavor has three future paths:
Larger Hub to Hub Deliveries: We will apply our technology to larger aircraft, payloads, and ranges in order to replace much of the freight volume currently being flown on inefficient converted passenger jets like 767s, significantly reducing aviation environmental impact.
Smaller Point to Point Regional Deliveries: With data on package flows we can leverage our increased efficiency and decreased cost to allow development of smaller VTOL drones that can deliver smaller payloads from town to town without having to go through consolidation at hubs, reducing overall miles flown and aircraft emissions.
Warehouse to Warehouse Freight: Larger and slower aircraft that can interface with warehouses and shipping centers will reduce cost per payload further; this unlocks priority freight volume currently taken by trucks, reducing impact on communities and roads and eliminating infrastructure bottlenecks.