Natilus unveils innovative diamond-shaped cargo bay, passenger aircraft cabins 

In addition to making headlines with its revolutionary blended wing body clean-sheet aircraft design, Californian startup Natilus has also been refining its vision for what the inside of the aircraft should be like, both for passengers and cargo. 

Natilus unveiled a proposed cabin interior concept for its future passenger aircraft, called Horizon, in July 2025.  

The San Diego-based startup, working together with California-based cabin design studio ACLA, has come up with two different possible configurations: a high density one for 196 passengers (40 First Class seats with a 38″ pitch, 48 Economy+ with a 34″ of pitch and 108 in Economy at 31″ pitch), and a less dense Premium one for 164 passengers. 

The latter features four classes instead of three: 16 First Class seats with a 42” pitch offering full-flat position, 16 Business Class seats with a 38″ pitch, 60 Economy+ 34” pitch seats and 72 Economy class seats with a 31” pitch. 

NatilusNatilus is taking advantage of the opportunities offered by a clean-sheet platform like the Horizon to add some innovative spaces onboard. For example, the Horizon would be fitted with three dedicated video conference pods, enjoying comprehensive connectivity for both video and phone calls. The cabin would also have state-of-the-art lighting systems, making up for the absence of windows with simulated skylights and customizable virtual windows. 

These systems are designed to provide an immersive experience that helps fight jetlag while providing top-notch in-flight entertainment.  

Another novelty would be the possibility of booking what Natilus calls “club seating,” specific sections of the cabin arranged for people travelling together, for example, families or colleagues. 

The Horizon would feature three or four restrooms and eight exit doors. 

But Natilus has also been working on its original cargo-only aircraft concept, which it has called “Kona”. On July 9, 2025, the Californian firm announced it had been awarded a US patent for an innovative diamond-shaped cargo bay. 

According to Natilus, this design, which would be fitted into the Kona freighters, provides 2.5 times more cargo space than the cargo compartments of tube-and-wing aircraft. The Kona also benefits from the aerodynamic properties of the blended wing body design, which its proponents claim can reduce operating costs by 30%. 

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