Based on a series of “secret” tests, French aircraft manufacturer Airbus has revealed scale tests of a blended wing commercial aircraft they call MAVERIK that stands for Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls.
Airbus expects the blended wing design to “cut fuel consumption 20% for a comparably sized aircraft using the same engines. Airbus also sees it as an opportunity to create a more spacious cabin environment with opportunities for changes in cabin seating and overall design.
Jean-Brice Dumont, executive vice president of engineering at Airbus said regarding the design, "Airbus is leveraging emerging technologies to pioneer the future of flight. By testing disruptive aircraft configurations, Airbus is able to evaluate their potential as viable future products."
Airbus has been secretly working on the design since 2018 but is not alone in this field. Boeing has been working on blended wing designs with NASA since 2008. In a project that ended in 2013, the NASA X-48 flew more than 120 successful flights.
Airbus has gone a step farther, developing concepts for cabin seating.