COVERAGE: Sustainable Times - Straightline Aviation Secures $50M Deal to Launch Low-Emission Airship Technology

Hammaad Saghir, 4th March 2025

In a move that could redefine aerial transport, Straightline Aviation, based in Bridgnorth, West Midlands, has placed a $50 million order with AT² Aerospace to bring the Z1 hybrid airship into commercial service for the first time. This marks a pivotal step in the evolution of hybrid airships—blending cutting-edge technology with real-world operational capability.

AT² Aerospace, a company spun out of US defense giant Lockheed Martin, is spearheading the development of the Z1, ensuring it is both commercially viable and operationally robust. Leading the charge is Bob Boyd, the company’s President & CEO, who previously helmed Lockheed Martin’s Hybrid Airship program.

Straightline Aviation’s deep-rooted experience in airship operations—spanning 38 countries and five continents—earned it Lockheed’s designation as the preferred hybrid airship operator. Now, that expertise is being leveraged to usher in a new era of sustainable aerial transport.

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