Summary:
Seattle-based startup Outbound Aerospace is developing a blended-wing airplane design.
The company aims to be the 'SpaceX of aviation', drawing inspiration from rapid innovation in the space industry.
Outbound's Olympic model, a blended-wing airplane with 3D-printed components, could be scaled up to the size of a Boeing 757.
The company has received funding commitments totaling up to $500,000, including from venture capital firm Antler.
Outbound is building a one-eighth-scale demonstrator plane, which will be tested in Oregon before the end of the year.
The company plans to attract a billionaire investor to support its growth.
Seattle Startup Outbound Aerospace Aims to be the 'SpaceX of Aviation' with Blended-Wing Aircraft
Outbound Aerospace, a Seattle-based startup, is developing a blended-wing airplane design that could revolutionize the aviation industry. The company, founded by former Boeing engineer Jake Armenta and Ian Lee, is drawing inspiration from the rapid innovation seen in the space industry, particularly from SpaceX.
Armenta believes that the technologies used in rocketry can be applied to aircraft design, and he is confident that Outbound's Olympic model, a blended-wing airplane with 3D-printed components, can be scaled up to the size of a Boeing 757.
The company has already received significant funding, including a commitment of up to $500,000 from Antler, a venture capital firm. This funding will allow Outbound to build a one-eighth-scale demonstrator plane, which will be tested in Oregon before the end of the year.
Outbound is also partnering with Collinear Group, an engineering consulting firm, to develop certification plans. The company aims to raise additional funding after the flight tests of the demonstrator, with a goal of attracting a billionaire investor like those backing SpaceX, Relativity Space, and Stoke Space.
Outbound Aerospace is taking a bold approach to entering the aviation industry, aiming to disrupt the established players like Boeing and Airbus. The next six months will be crucial for the company as it progresses towards its goal of creating a new kind of passenger aircraft.
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