COVERAGE: Air Quality News - UK company places $50m order for hybrid airships
Paul Day, 4th March 2025
Straightline Aviation of Bridgnorth in the West Midlands has placed a $50 million order with AT² Aerospace to launch the Z1 hybrid airship into service for the first time.
AT² Aerospace is a company spun out of US defense company Lockheed Martin to develop the airship to be commercially viable and operationally capable. The company’s President & CEO, Bob Boyd, was previously Hybrid Airship program manager at Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed designated Straightline as its preferred hybrid airship operator due to their experience of operating airships in 38 countries, over five continents.
The Z1 features an innovative Air Cushioned Landing System which gives it huge operational versatility, allowing it to land on fields, water, snow, ice, and sand.
The $50 million order marks the culmination years of development work aimed at creating a commercially viable and operationally efficient airship.
