Science & Technology

'Flying Bum' airship has crashed already

By T.K. Randall
August 24, 2016

Image: AI-generated (Bing AI / Dall-E 3) The 300ft behemoth, which has acquired the nickname 'Flying Bum' due to its unfortunate shape, was developed as part of a US Army project that was discontinued back in 2012.

Providing the advantages of both an airship and an airplane, the Airlander 10 does not have an internal structure like traditional airships but instead becomes rigid once it is filled with gas.Capable of taking off vertically like a helicopter and reaching speeds of up to 90mph, the vehicle can stay in the air for up to two weeks at a time and can carry both cargo and passengers.

Earlier this year there was much excitement about the airship's upcoming maiden voyage, but now unfortunately following only a limited run of test flights this week the Airlander 10 has managed to sustain damage already after getting in to difficulty while attempting to land in a field.

British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles maintains that it didn't hit a telegraph pole as some reports have suggested however it remains unclear exactly what happened during the incident.


Source: Reuters

Tags: Airlander 10