• “Mixed-wing” aircraft could be the future of commercial aviation.
• Airbus and startups JetZero and Natilus are leading the development of these more efficient flying wings.
• The jets burn up to 50% less fuel and feature a uniquely shaped passenger cabin.

Aircraft manufacturers are race to build the jet of the future as airlines demand more efficient planes.

Among the most probable concepts, we find a aircraft with “mixed-wing” bodywhich combines the fuselage and wing into one. This is a departure from the traditional tube-and-wing design that has been the norm since the beginning of commercial aviation.

The all-in-one wing can reduce drag by up to 30 percent, helping to reduce the amount of fuel needed, according to the U.S. Air Force, which plans to use the design in a prototype.

A handful of companies have announced plans to build these unique ships by the 2030s, including startups JetZero and Natilus and long-standing aircraft manufacturer Airbus. Boeing has begun researching blended wings, but has no plans to build one yet.

Natilus and JetZero are starting from scratch and targeting different markets, but they have the same overarching goal: break through the Airbus-Boeing duopoly.

Natilus is developing a 200-passenger narrow-body aircraft called Horizon to fill a perceived aircraft capacity gap over the next 20 years, while JetZero plans to build a giant 250-passenger capacity widebody called Pathfinder to replace aging Boeing 767s.

Airbus could maintain its market lead with its 200-passenger plane “ZEROe” mixed wing concept. The company has decades of experience designing commercial aircraft and leads the industry with its Best-selling Airbus A320 family of similar capacity.

All three companies have found what they think is the secret sauce in the giant flying wing. It is poised to significantly improve fuel efficiency, open up a wider cabin and provide airlines with better overall profitability while meeting route and infrastructure needs.