LTA Research, a venture initiated by Google cofounder Sergey Brin, has attained regulatory approval for its Pathfinder 1 airship's forthcoming high-altitude ventures in California.
The era of lighter-than-air travel has been reborn as LTA Research, founded by Google's own Sergey Brin in 2015, was recently granted the green light to take its colossal airship to the Californian skies. The Pathfinder 1 prototype was issued a special airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in early September, opening pathways for high-altitude exploration in the airspace spanning Moffett Field and Palo Alto Airport.
This remarkable airship, known as Pathfinder 1, stretches to an impressive length of 407 feet, surpassing the Airbus A380 by a factor of two. The innovative design, reinforced by a structure of polymer tubing laced with carbon fiber, not only sets it apart from conventional blimps but also enables it to utilize safe and non-flammable helium as a lifting agent. Equipped with a hybrid propulsion system boasting 12 electric motors powered by two 150 kW diesel generators and 24 batteries, the Pathfinder 1 can achieve speeds of up to 75 mph and execute vertical takeoffs and landings.
Beyond the engineering marvel, the Pathfinder 1 has been envisioned to serve a noble purpose. With the capacity to carry up to 14 passengers and transport up to 11,000 pounds of cargo, this airship is destined for humanitarian missions. Its mission is to facilitate the transportation of vital aid, including food and supplies, to remote areas inaccessible via conventional means.
Pathfinder 1's airworthiness certificate remains valid for a year, but LTA Research anticipates completing the test program within 180 days. After a series of test flights in California, the airship will return to LTA's cavernous 364,000-square-foot facility in Akron, Ohio, formerly the Goodyear Airdock, where the company will embark on the construction and storage of its airship fleet.