The Aeroscraft

Created by Aeros’ Aviation Division, the Aeroscraft is a Rigid Variable Buoyancy Air Vehicle that is designed to control lift in all stages of air or ground operations, including the ability to offload cargo without re-ballasting. It is being hailed as the vertical transportation solution for the next 100 years.

The Aeroscraft is not a blimp, zeppelin or a hybrid vehicle. It is a new type of aircraft built with a suite of new technologies by Aeros.

The current 260 ft long vehicle is a demonstrator for the upcoming ML 866 Aeroscraft model which will be 500 ft long and have 66-ton cargo capacity— engineered by Aeros to take off and land upright at maximum gross weight. The Aeroscraft, with its 66-ton (and potentially 500-ton payload) was developed to provide transportation and logistics options for large cargoes bound across remote and ecologically sensitive locations.

The Aeroscraft has a rigid aeroshell and an internal ballast control system that provides its distinctive VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) and hover capability at full payload without the use of off-board ballasting, as well as off and on-loading stores while hovering. The Aeroscraft also needs no hangar facility or airport, nor any excessive maintenance. Runways, airports and ground support are not required, therefore, expanding the potential of commercial cargo transport, military applications, and large-scale humanitarian relief efforts.

Unlike other airships in development, the Aeroscraft is the only air vehicle designed with COSH (or the control of static heaviness) and internal ballast system that allows the unique operation of the vehicle's buoyancy to be a heavier-than-air vehicle during ground operations or lighter-than-air during flight.

The ML 866 Aeroscraft has a cruise speed of approximately 100-120 knots, while the operational altitude (ceiling) is at 12,000ft; additionally it can go up to 18,000ft (and over) without reduction of payload (66T).The Aeroscraft will be capable of a maximum flight range of 3800 nautical miles for the ML 866 vehicle, while the future advanced models of the 200 and 500 tons Aeroscrafts will fly 5100 nm. The Aeroscraft is also ecological and uses one-third less fuel than conventional cargo-carrying jets, offering a noiseless and low pollution operation.

Aeros has now completed the successful testing of the Aeroscraft proof-of-design technology demonstrator and met all of the design targets set by partners at the DoD, NASA and DARPA. The completed testing schedule proves the scalable vertical takeoff and landing technology of a full-scale Aeroscraft that can be deployed globally for the heavy-lift operations and massive-cargo construction and transportation projects.