airbus reveals blended wing airplane that could cut carbon emissions by 20%

airbus has unveiled a futuristic airplane design which it claims could cut carbon emissions by 20 per cent. code-named MAVERIC, it blends the wing and the body to produce less aerodynamic drag while making for more spacious cabin interiors.

images courtesy of airbus

MAVERIC, which was unveiled at singapore air show 2020, stands for model aircraft for validation and experimentation of robust innovative controls. airbus has been carrying out test flights of the commercial aircraft at a secret location in central france since june 2019.

at 2 metres long and 3 metres wide, MAVERIC is a small-scale, remote-controlled aircraft demonstrator. inside, a spacious configuration opens up the design space, enabling the possible integration of various other types of propulsion systems.

‘initially, many dismissed the MAVERIC project as merely a ‘hobby,’ or, in other words, a project airbus wouldn’t learn very much from,’ explains adrien bérard, MAVERIC project co-leader. ‘so we had to prove them wrong by showing that we could deliver a very sound basis for future aircraft configuration.’

noise is expected to be significantly reduced thanks to a ‘shielded’ engine that is mounted above the central body. a blended wing body design also allows a more comfortable cabin layout, enabling passengers to benefit from additional legroom and larger aisles for more personal comfort.

‘at airbus, we understand society expects more from us in terms of improving the environmental performance of our aircraft,’ bérard adds. ‘MAVERIC’s blended wing body configuration is a potential game-changer in this respect, and we’re keen to push the technology to the limit.’

tests will continue on MAVERIC until mid-2020 while airbus studies how the cabin would work and how the aircraft could be integrated into airports.

project info

company: airbus
model: codename – MAVERIC