Funky Looking Balloon Will Continue the Work of LM's Hybrid Airship Program

Lockheed Martin is tagging out of its Hybrid Airship concept, opting to pass its intellectual property over to a new commercial enterprise in the form of AT2 Aerospace.

The company issued a statement reiterating its belief in the "potential for hybrid airships to transform global transport," while adding that the firm had been "in search of a transition partner to continue development of this important commercial work." In rolling out the new company, Lockheed Martin will share its "hybrid airship IP and related assets" with the newly formed AT2 Aerospace.

The new operation will open its doors in Santa Clarita, California, where it will continue to develop the concept into an airship capable of cheap cargo operations all over the world.

The current specification of their hybrid airship, the Z1, sports their "Air Cushion Landing System", allowing the craft to takeoff and land from "almost any location on the planet".

Sporting multiple thrust vectoring rotors, a tri-lobed, helium-filled hull, the Z1 is hoped to offer a cargo system that can handily outcompete today's shipping systems. 

"The Z1 moves cargo faster than sea and land transportation at a fraction of the cost of existing cargo aircraft," says an AT2 presser, "filling a major gap in the global transportation market from a speed vs. cost perspective."

The fuel-efficient, multi-terrain capability provides enough rationale for use over traditional powered aircraft, while its quieter, simpler lighter-than-air operation yields safety benefits anywhere it flies. 

FMI: www.at2aero.space