新創打造零碳飛機：這款未來機型可省一半燃料

隨著全球航空業面臨減碳壓力與能源轉型挑戰，創新飛機設計正成為航太產業的新戰略焦點。美國新創企業 JetZero 日前宣布，與模擬與人工智慧領域的領導企業 Altair 建立策略合作，結合先進計算流體力學（CFD）與 AI 技術，推動全球首款商業化「融合翼身體（Blended-Wing Body, BWB）」飛機的開發，為航空永續帶來技術突破。

As the global aviation industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonize and undergo an energy transition, innovative aircraft design is emerging as a new strategic focus for the aerospace sector. U.S. startup JetZero recently announced a strategic partnership with simulation and AI leader Altair, leveraging advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and AI technologies to develop the world’s first commercial Blended-Wing Body (BWB) aircraft - marking a potential breakthrough for sustainable aviation.

打破傳統設計框架 融合翼身結構帶來節能與降噪雙重優勢

JetZero 所開發的 Z4 飛機設計大幅顛覆傳統飛機「細長機身＋雙翼」的形式，改採融合翼身結構——這種設計將機翼與機身平滑融合，不僅可顯著降低空氣阻力，也有助於飛機更均勻分配升力與載重，減少結構應力與燃料消耗。

Breaking Conventional Design: Blended-Wing Body Offers Energy and Noise Reduction Benefits

JetZero’s Z4 aircraft represents a major departure from the traditional “tube-and-wing” design, replacing the slender fuselage and distinct wings with a blended-wing body structure. This design seamlessly integrates the wings and fuselage, significantly reducing aerodynamic drag while distributing lift and load more evenly across the airframe - thereby reducing structural stress and fuel consumption.

根據 JetZero 測試數據，相較傳統機型，其融合翼身飛機預計可減少燃料使用與碳排放多達 50%，並透過機身寬體結構增加載客與貨物空間。此外，Z4 飛機將發動機安裝於機身背部上方，使起降時產生的噪音朝上擴散，降低對機場周圍社區的聲音污染。

According to JetZero’s internal testing, the BWB design is expected to reduce fuel use and carbon emissions by up to 50% compared to conventional aircraft. The wider airframe also allows for increased passenger and cargo capacity. Additionally, by mounting the engines on top of the rear fuselage, the Z4 reduces noise pollution in airport communities by redirecting takeoff and landing noise upward, away from populated areas.

Altair 提供高階模擬與 AI 能力 縮短設計週期、降低研發風險

此次合作關鍵在於 Altair 提供的 FlightStream 軟體，該工具為一種針對高速與次音速飛行器研發的 CFD 模擬平台，能快速建構飛行外型、分析氣流分布、升力與阻力變化，協助工程團隊在無需大量實體風洞測試的情況下，精準預測飛機表現。

此外，JetZero 亦將使用 Altair 全套模擬、資料分析與 AI 工具，包括：

這些工具整合於 Altair 的「航太新創加速計畫（ASAP）」，專為協助新創企業突破傳統製造與測試流程限制，實現高效率、低成本的原型機研發。

新一代永續飛行技術布局 2027年試飛挑戰傳統機型

JetZero 預計於 2027 年完成 Z4 原型機的首次完整試飛，該計畫也受到美國政府與 NASA 的高度關注，納入美國低碳航空願景發展計畫之一。隨著各國航空監管機構與國際航空運輸協會（IATA）設定 2050 淨零排放目標，融合翼身機型與電動／混合動力技術被視為未來民用與軍用航空轉型的雙軌核心之一。

Altair Powers High-Fidelity Simulation and AI to Shorten Design Cycles and Reduce R&D Risk

A key element of the partnership is Altair’s FlightStream software - a CFD simulation platform tailored for high-speed and subsonic aircraft development. It enables engineers to model aerodynamic performance, airflow behavior, lift, and drag distribution with high accuracy, eliminating the need for extensive physical wind tunnel tests.

JetZero will also deploy Altair’s full suite of simulation, data analytics, and AI tools, including:

These capabilities are delivered through Altair’s Aerospace Startup Accelerator Program (ASAP), aimed at helping startups bypass traditional manufacturing bottlenecks and develop prototypes efficiently and cost-effectively.

Next-Generation Sustainable Flight: Z4 Set for Test Flight in 2027

JetZero plans to complete the first full test flight of the Z4 prototype in 2027. The project has attracted significant attention from the U.S. government and NASA, and is part of the country’s broader low-carbon aviation roadmap. As aviation regulators and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) push toward net-zero emissions by 2050, BWB designs - alongside electric and hybrid propulsion systems - are increasingly viewed as dual-core solutions for both civilian and military aviation transitions.

JetZero 執行長 Tom O’Leary 表示：「我們相信 Z4 是繼噴射機問世以來，航空產業最重大的前進一大步。Altair 的模擬與 AI 技術讓我們能在更短時間內測試更多設計假設，真正實現飛行器設計的軟體驅動轉型。」

產業意義：模擬科技加速綠色飛機研發 顛覆「風洞試驗為主」時代

JetZero CEO Tom O’Leary stated:

“We believe the Z4 represents the most significant leap in aviation since the introduction of jet engines. Altair’s simulation and AI tools enable us to test far more design hypotheses in less time, truly transforming aircraft design into a software-driven process.”

Industry Impact: Simulation-Led R&D Disrupts the Wind Tunnel Era

過去幾十年，飛機研發往往仰賴實體風洞試驗與長周期的構型迭代，耗時且成本高昂。隨著運算能力提升與 AI 演算法成熟，如今工程團隊能在雲端完成複雜的流場分析與設計優化，大幅縮短開發時程，並降低實體測試次數，對資源有限的新創公司特別關鍵。

For decades, aircraft development has relied heavily on physical wind tunnel testing and lengthy design cycles. With the rise of powerful cloud computing and AI algorithms, engineering teams can now perform complex aerodynamic analyses and design optimizations digitally - dramatically cutting development time and reducing reliance on expensive hardware tests, a game-changer for resource-constrained startups.

JetZero 結合模擬與永續材料研究的做法，也為航空業展示一種新型研發模式：以「軟體即研發」（Software-Defined R&D）為核心，取代傳統重硬體、長時程的測試流程。

JetZero’s integration of simulation technologies with sustainable material research presents a new R&D model for aviation - one that is software-defined, agile, and innovation-centric, as opposed to the traditional hardware-heavy, time-intensive development approach.

未來，隨著全球航空公司尋求更節能、低噪、靈活的中型航線機種，融合翼身機型可望打入短中程市場，成為綠色轉型的關鍵解方之一。

As global airlines seek more fuel-efficient, quieter, and adaptable aircraft for medium-range routes, blended-wing body aircraft may emerge as a pivotal solution in the industry's path toward green transformation.