After four years of setbacks and crashes, in 2017 Alphabet closed down its project flying solar-powered fixed-wing drones in the upper atmosphere to beam the internet to those cut-off. Now, Google parent company Alphabet, has also dropped Loon, its upper-atmosphere balloon version. Continue reading
Category Archives: Lighter Than Air
Carolina UV Delivers Aerostats for Defence Programme
Carolina Unmanned Vehicles (CUV) has successfully completed delivery of two 45 cubic meter (45M3) model Allsopp Helikite aerostats to support a defense developmental program. The aerostats will be used to lift various electronic system to altitude. Continue reading
Skyborne Completes Initial Test of DATT SA-70 Airship
Han Tang Technology/UAV Corp through its subsidiary Skyborne Technology, Inc. has successfully conducted an inflation test of the new DATT SA-70 semi-rigid Airship with drone package during the week of November 1-5, 2020. Continue reading
Galaxy Unmanned Systems Selected for Army Airship SBIR
Galaxy Unmanned Systems LLC’s proposal for an aerostat/airship hybrid has been competitively selected for a potential Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the U.S. Army. Continue reading
Yemeni Forces Down MQ-9 in Dhamar
Airlander to Develop Electric Propulsion Technologies
A partnership of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), Collins Aerospace, and the University of Nottingham (UoN) has won grant funding in excess of £1m from the UK Aerospace Research and Technology Programme to develop electric propulsion technologies using Airlander 10 as the initial platform. The project, named E-HAV1, will deliver a full-sized prototype 500kW electric propulsor for ground testing and technologies ready for future productionisation. Continue reading
Drone Aviation Gets $3.8M Govt Award and $2M Funding
Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a manufacturer of tethered drones and lighter-than-air aerostats announced that it was selected by a prime contractor under an initial $3.8 million award. Additionally, the Company has solidified its cash position with the closing of an initial $2 million in equity capital to support the recently awarded contract.
Miami Beach Police Blimp Circumvents Ban on Drone Surveillance
Miami Beach Police Department circumvented a 2015 ban on police drone surveillance when it monitored a crowded Orange Bowl celebration event last month using a small, helium-filled blimp, called a “tethered aerostat.” Continue reading







