Aerostat Hybrid

Current aerostat capabilities for providing Low Cost Persistent Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (LCP ISR) can be dramatically enhanced by enabling it to maneuver “off-tether” in an extended endurance “remotely-piloted” semi-autonomous mode. This proposed feasibility study captures the R&D needed for a hybrid aerostat/airship, building on an existing commercial American Blimp Corporation A-60+ Airship, to achieve the objectives of this SBIR. Specifically, this project will define the necessary steps to operate a hybrid aerial platform in both tethered aerostat and airship modes. The project aims to achieve maximum commercialization potential for both public and private sector markets. Since the existing A-60+ is fully FAA Type Certified, all airship-related efforts will align with research, development, test, evaluation, and demonstration activities which maintain and expand the platform’s FAA Type Certification, including potential propulsion upgrades and FCC-approved communication links (also meeting FCC regulations) to deliver a true dual-use system for military, civilian public, and private markets. The project will achieve a flexible and affordable airship system allowing expanded commercialization for a wide spectrum of military, public safety and security, emergency response, and commercial applications, for both domestic and international customers, using a fully certified platform reconfigurable to meet a variety of needs