the autopilot and water take-off and landing. In July 2015, it was targeted to fly within 18 months before a full scale aircraft three years later. Natilus raised $750,000 of venture capital from Tim Draper and was incubated at the aviation-oriented Starburst Accelerator in Los Angeles. Natilus hopes to fly its prototype, comparable in size and weight with a Predator drone, between Los Angeles and Hawaii on 30-hour test runs, carrying up to of cargo. The over full-scale drone would be finished by 2020 to be flight tested and certified before commercial flights. A launch customer wants an long cargo with a capacity for 2019, to fly the Los Angeles to Hawaii route, before a long craft with a capacity would fly between the U.S. and China by 2020. About 70% complete in May 2017, the prototype seaplane will lack a landing gear, its maximum gross weight is , its wingspan is and it will cruise at . In August 2017, smaller cargo-drones were envisioned, with large cargo doors and designed for a dimensional weight. In November 2017, Natilus closed a second round of seed funding from Starburst Ventures, Seraph Group, Gelt VC, Outpost Capital and Draper Associates. Using existing turbofan and turboprop engines, a drone with a retractable landing gear would carry over between local regional airports; the payload craft would weight for trans-Pacific routes. The 2-tonne payload freighter would have a blended wing body configuration. In December 2017, water-taxiing of the wide prototype was going to be tested in San Francisco Bay, before flight testing in 2018 and the capable freighter by 2020. In February 2018, the , -span prototype was being prepared for flight from San Pablo Bay, north of San Francisco, powered by a single Rotax 912 piston. The next aircraft will be a blended wing body (BWB) landplane, providing 30% more volume. The first product will be a small regional freighter powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A with a cargo capacity and a MTOW, to fly in 2020 and to be certified under the FAR Part 23 within 3.5 years from February 2018. See also References External links Aircraft manufacturers of the United States American companies established in 2014 2014 establishments in California Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2014 Aerospace companies of the United States