Worldwide Aeros Corp. (Aeros), a California manufacturer of airships and aerostats operating with a FAA Production Certificate, announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Aeros have reached agreement on the plan for certification of Aeros’ latest airship, the ‘40E Sky Dragon.’
Category Archives: Lighter Than Air
US Navy’s Last Flying Aircraft Carrier
Off the California coast lies the sunken wreckage of the U.S. Navy’s last flying aircraft carrier. The idea that the Navy had flying aircraft carriers is probably new to a lot of people. Imagine a nearly 800-foot “blimp” where five military airplanes can land and take off in midair.
Balloon-Assisted UAV Brings Back Stratospheric Aerosol Samples from Altitude of 22 km in Antarctica
A balloon-assisted UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) named “Phoenix-S1,” developed by Kyushu University and Fukuoka University, Japan, has successfully brought back stratospheric aerosol samples from the altitude of 22 km and observed aerosol density at the altitude of 23 km in Antarctica on January 24, 2015.
Google says UAVs, Balloons could use New Spectrum for Internet Access
As federal regulators consider opening new radio frequencies to wireless services, Google is already eyeing the frequencies to deliver Internet access from the sky via drones and balloons. In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Friday, Google said new bands could “be useful for offering broadband access via airborne platforms such as high-altitude balloons or unmanned aerial vehicles.” Continue reading
Israeli Police Lease Tactical Aerostats
Israeli firm RT LTA has announced that it has been awarded a two year lease contract to provide Skystar 180 aerostats by the hour with crew to assist Israeli police. Continue reading
Eglin Air Force Base Gets More Aerostats
Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a developer of specialised lighter-than-air aerostats and tethered drones, has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Drone Aviation Corp., has delivered a follow-on order of aerial and ground-based equipment to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. This delivery is the latest of multiple military customers who continue to actively utilise the Company’s mobile aerostat launcher systems as part of their ongoing operations. Continue reading
Time Lapse Inflation of a JLENS Aerostat
Time lapse inflation of a Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) aerostat at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Dec. 14, 2014. JLENS provides national command authorities with increased situational awareness and early warning detection against possible threats. Continue reading
Drone-Hunting Blimp Over Washington
On Friday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, will launch a giant drone-hunting blimp over Maryland’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds just east of Washington D.C. The system includes a 242-foot balloon (technically called an aerostat because it’s connected to the ground) that can stay up for a month at a time and a radar to detect — among other potential threats— drones.