The future of aircraft could turn out to be rather blended.
Not like a smoothie, but instead by blended-wing airframe designs. For many decades now, most aircraft have used the same general design: two wings connected to a central fuselage (or main body of the aircraft). Yet aerospace engineers are working on frames that will blend the wings and fuselage together.
Rather than using 3 distinct parts (two wings and the fuselage) blended-wing aircraft do away with the hard dividing lines. Experts believe that blended-wing designs could upend the commercial aviation industry by delivering substantial fuel savings while increasing interior space. Some designs allow interior spaces to take up more of the overall frame, increasing carrying capacities for both cargo and passengers.
Airplanes fly by generating lift. With traditional airplanes, the wings generate most of the lift. With blended-wing airplanes, the entire airframe will produce lift while simultaneously reducing drag. These changes should increase fuel economy and also cut down on emissions. NASA and Airbus have both stated that blended-wing aircraft could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent, while the Air Force believes these designs could deliver 30 percent improvements in aerodynamic efficiency. This could result in substantial air travel cost savings.
You may have already spotted a blended-wing aircraft. The famous Mach 3+ Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which ranks among the fastest aircraft in the world, uses a blended-wing design. Other military aircraft and drones also use blended-wing designs, but for now, the technology remains unproven for commercial use. Still, owing to their unique advantages, don't be surprised if blended-wing airframes really take off.