Three aerospace companies – Aernnova, Leonardo and AFuzion – are to partner with Radia on WindRunner, the world’s largest aircraft. Radia is developing WindRunner to deliver the largest, most efficient wind turbine blades, expand the reach of wind energy and transform its economics.

Aernnova will partner with Radia on the development of the aircraft’s wing and engine pylons; Leonardo will develop the fuselage; and AFuzion will provide safety and certification consulting.

The partnership agreements are the latest step forward for WindRunner, an aircraft designed for its primary mission: To fly large turbine blades – up to 105m in length, longer than a football pitch – directly to wind farm sites, landing on semi-prepared dirt runways as short as 1,800m (6,000 ft). It will overcome logistical barriers that today prevent the expansion of onshore wind energy. Wind turbines become more effective and efficient the larger they are. But long turbine blades are extremely difficult and expensive to move by ground transport because literal roadblocks – bridges, tunnels and road curves – get in the way.

WindRunner will fly over these roadblocks, enabling the deployment of the largest, most efficient onshore wind turbines today and the even larger ones of the future – what Radia calls GigaWind.

The result will be widespread availability of consistent, lowest-cost clean energy in more locations and at industrial scale for the grid, green fuel production including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and commercial power users such as data centers and hyperscalers. The market for onshore wind energy is estimated at up to $10 trillion by 2050 – as many as 1 million wind turbines.

“WindRunner is an opportunity for the aerospace industry to have a decisive impact on climate change, diversify into the energy industry and seize an enormous market opportunity,” say Mark Lundstrom, Radia’s CEO. “We are extremely pleased and excited that Aernnova, Leonardo and AFuzion – three companies at the forefront of aerospace design, development, and engineering – have chosen to partner with us on this critically important project.”

“We are excited and proud to participate in the world’s largest aircraft, especially in view of its mission,” says Ricardo Chocarro, CEO of Aernnova. “Based on my previous experience in this sector of the wind turbine industry, I can affirm the importance of the solution that WindRunner provides. The agreement with Radia for the development of the WindRunner project positions us in the wing and engine pylon design and manufacturing support, recognizing our expertise for the design and development of this ambitious project.”

Stefano Bortoli, Leonardo Aerostructures Division MD, adds: “The WindRunner initiative is an interesting example of how the aerospace industry continues to provide a key contribution to sustainability, with a range of diversified solutions to the benefit of multiple sectors. Also, Leonardo has a deep experience in the energy sector with its technologies in aviation, including wind farms. Therefore, it gives us great pleasure to support this initiative with our established aerostructure engineering know-how and capabilities.”

“WindRunner must operate safely in a wide range of operating environments,” says AFuzion CEO Vance Hilderman. “And the urgency of the climate crisis demands that it move systematically through the certification process so that it can enter into service. AFuzion is eager to bring our capabilities to bear to support WindRunner’s progress from design all the way through to deployment.”

“WindRunner is exciting and consequential,” continues Lundstrom, “not only because of the scope of the project but also because of its critical importance to the viability and the economics of renewable energy and society’s ability to meet our growing need for power while achieving our climate goals. Our partnership with Aernnova, Leonardo and AFuzion will enable us to deliver on that promise, fulfill our mission, and achieve a significant impact on renewables.”