Natilus gets a YouTuber to build a scale prototype of its blended wing aircraft
December 18, 2025
US aerospace start-up Natilus has entered an unconventional partnership with a prominent YouTube aircraft builder to construct a large-scale flying model of its blended-wing-body aircraft.
The collaboration brings Natilus together with Ramy RC, a content creator known for designing and flying oversized remote-controlled aircraft.
Under the arrangement, the YouTuber said he has been tasked with building a scale model based on Natilus’s Horizon passenger aircraft concept, translating digital designs into a physical airframe that is capable of flight testing.
From digital design to physical blended wing aircraft
The prototype, which has a 24-foot wingspan, reflects the core principles of the blended-wing-body layout, in which the fuselage and wings are integrated into a single lifting surface.
The design offers significantly lower drag and improved structural efficiency compared with conventional tube-and-wing aircraft, potentially reducing fuel burn while increasing usable internal volume.
Natilus has positioned the Horizon as part of a broader family of blended-wing aircraft intended to serve both passenger and cargo markets.
The company says its designs could reduce fuel consumption by around 30% and lower operating costs by up to 50%, while increasing payload capacity by roughly 40%.
Speaking to Ramy RC, Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus, said: “I’m so excited to be working with you. And everything that you’ve done over at Ramy RC has been so fantastic. We’re really excited to partner with you on this project, and it’s going to be the world’s largest blend of wing body.
“The last time something like this has ever been done was in late 1990s, early 2000s, believe it or not, by Boeing and NASA. This will be the first iteration of [what] I would call a 737/A320 competitor, and you’ll be building it for us.
“We can’t be more excited to show it to the world and also have you guys fly it for us as well, and really, to demonstrate that blended wing bodies do have a place in the next generation of configurations for the world.”
A YouTuber is building the Natilus prototype
The decision to partner with a YouTube creator for its second scale model is a departure from established aerospace development practices, which typically rely on tightly controlled in-house or contracted manufacturing environments.
For Natilus, a start-up that is hoping to disrupt the duopoly, the unconventional approach shows a willingness to explore alternative pathways to building and testing early prototypes.
Founded in 2016, Natilus draws on engineering experience from across the aerospace and defence sectors. The company has already secured hundreds of pre-orders for its blended-wing aircraft concepts, giving it a commercial foundation even as it works to validate the technology and navigate certification challenges.
The prototype is expected to provide valuable real-world insight into the aerodynamic behaviour, stability and control characteristics of the blended-wing design.
Natilus secures SpiceJet partnership
The blended wing design is already proving popular with commercial customers.
SpiceJet is partnering with Natilus to bring its aircraft to India, with the low-cost carrier set to become Natilus’ first customer for the Horizon aircraft in India.
Subject to certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), SpiceJet plans to acquire up to 100 aircraft.
The move represents one of the earliest airline commitments globally to a blended-wing-body design for mainstream passenger operations.
Featured image: Ramy RC
