Michelin Takes on the Sky with NATAC

Michelin partners with Voliris to develop NATAC, a cargo aircraft that exemplifies the new era of sustainable aerial mobility.

Michelin Inflatable Solutions and Voliris are joining forces to develop the Autonomous Container Transport Air Shuttle (NATAC), an innovative aircraft designed for zero-emission freight transport.

With their expertise in polymer composites and assembly processes, the Clermont-based group provides a crucial know-how for the design of this extraordinary aircraft’s wing-envelope.

Michelin stays inflated

Made up of five lobes and with a total volume of 25,000 m³, this flexible envelope is delivered folded before being inflated on site. It must withstand significant mechanical stresses — internal pressure, load cable tension (up to 30 tons), and altitude variations — while remaining perfectly helium-tight, and eventually hydrogen-tight.

Michelin Inflatable Solutions engineers are working on qualifying materials, ensuring their durability, and developing assembly processes to guarantee reliability and performance.

The NATAC project is distinguished by its modular and decarbonized approach. Assembled from 10 standard containers, the shuttle can be installed at any site without a permanent runway, thereby avoiding land artificialization.

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Innovation

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Remotely operated with an autopilot system, it aims to serve remote or underserved areas by combining the advantages of a dirigible and a cargo plane. A full-scale wing demonstrator is planned for 2028, after successful tests of a scaled prototype.

By partnering with Voliris, Michelin reaffirms its commitment to leveraging its innovative power for the decarbonization of air transport and the emergence of sustainable logistical solutions.

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