The team at Hybrid Air Vehicles has re-examined the basic principles behind Lighter-Than-Air Science and applied modern technology and materials to this 100 year old concept.

The result is a range of revolutionary products with global market potential – demand is being driven, in particular, by changing defence & environmental requirements.

Hybrid Air Vehicles has created a new mode of air transport that offers major improvements in safety, operating costs, environmental impact and operational flexibility.

In doing so, it has become one of the fastest aerospace OEM’s, offering significant benefit in the surveillance and Heavy Lift markets.

Partnering Northrop Grumman, HAV won a $517 million contract to develop the Long-Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) for deployment by the U.S. Army to Afghanistan in early 2012. The vehicle is capable of:

• Operating at 20,000 feet (6,096 meters) above sea level
• With a 21-day on-station availability
• a 2,000 mile radius of action and is
• Runway independent

In July 2012 the company announced a deal with Discovery Air International (DAI) for the production of a number of AIRLANDER 50 Heavy Lift vehicles.

Discovery Air is a Canadian specialist aviation company, operating over 150 aircraft and offering a broad range of services in Canada and beyond.

Many of these services are offered in environments where remoteness, lack of infrastructure and extreme weather conditions are regular challenges.

These are areas where the AIRLANDER 50 excels. The first AIRLANDERS will commence commercial services in early 2015.