Airbus Maveric Aircraft Concept
Plans for flying or blended wing airliners date back to at least the 1940s. With the Maveric, Airbus is looking to revive the concept for the future. Short for "Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls", the aircraft has a triangular form that's thicker in the center to accommodate passengers. This unusual build would reduce fuel consumption by as much as 20% compared to current passenger aircraft, while also allowing for novel propulsion systems. The current scale model measures 2 meters long, 3.2 meters wide, and has been flying since June 2019, with test flights scheduled to run through the end of the year.