The UK Startup Developing Airlander - an Ultra-low Emissions Aircraft - Tom Grundy, CEO, Hybrid Air Vehicles

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is the UK company behind Airlander, a family of ultra-low emissions hybrid aircraft. Its first aircraft, Airlander 10, successfully completed its first flight in 2016. Since then, it has been continuously developed, and is now ready for commercial deployment across regional mobility, defence surveillance, logistics and tourism applications.

Tom Grundy, CEO, Hybrid Air Vehicles, has been talking to Auto Futures.

"The technology behind Airlander brings together the buoyancy of an airship (through the use of inert helium) with the aerodynamic lift of an airplane, as well as vectored thrust that provides control and the capability to land and take off from any relatively flat surface (including water), with minimal infrastructure. This will help unlock new opportunities for access to air travel for hard-to-reach communities," says Grundy.

The Airlander 10 capable of carrying 100 passengers or ten tonnes of freight. Its distinct exterior is echoed by its equally unique interior.

"The cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular views of the world below. The engines are far away from the cabin meaning the in-flight experience is very low noise and low vibration allowing passengers to arrive at their destination feeling refreshed, rather than fatigued."

HAV is currently developing electric motors with the goal to deliver a hybrid-electric Airlander 10 from 2027.

"Airlander 10 is on a pathway to zero emissions flight before the end of the decade, we expect to be the first large scale aircraft to do this. We will begin with a hybrid-electric configuration before moving to an all-electric configuration, powered by hydrogen fuel cells."

Hydrogen has roughly twice the energy density of kerosene, a fossil fuel used in aviation, and, provided it is created from green sources, it is a zero-emissions fuel.

"Hydrogen needs a lot of storage space. Airlander’s size gives it an obvious advantage over conventional jet planes, its large hull allows for ample storage of hydrogen and requires little adaptation to make the shift from a hybrid-electric configuration. Jet planes, on the other hand, currently store fuel in the wings, which will not be possible with hydrogen," explains Grundy.

"There is much to be done to bring this technology to a 100-seat aircraft like Airlander, but it is ideally placed to be the first," he adds.

Targeting The Security And Defence Sectors

Airlander is designed and manufactured to the same standards of safety as every other aircraft, and its operators will be subject to the same regulations.

"Hybrid Air Vehicles is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) here in the UK. We have been approved by the CAA to design and build aircraft and will receive a CAA Type Certificate. Having refined the production standard design based on prototype flight data, extensive wind-tunnel testing, and work in our simulator, Airlander 10’s design is ready for production," says Grundy.

By 2026, the company aims to deliver the first completed orders to its customers and build 12 new Airlander 10 aircraft per year. It is progressing plans to build a new production facility in the city of Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

"The brand new facility is set to create thousands of skilled jobs in green aerospace technologies, supporting levelling up across the region. Together, HAV, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), and Doncaster City Council (DCC) have built a strong relationship and we look forward to continuing our work to establish Airlander 10’s production home in South Yorkshire."

The company has also just announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BAE Systems to collaborate and explore the potential of Airlander in security and defence applications.

Dave Holmes, Managing Director, FalconWorks, BAE Systems Air, states: “The changing character of conflict is driving new and novel approaches across the defence sector, including using new sources of synthetic and sustainable power, new materials and new processes that allow us to harness sustainable tech right from the outset. We’re excited to work closely with the Hybrid Air Vehicles team to jointly explore and advance Airlander’s potential defence and security capabilities.”

HAV says it has a number of very exciting milestones in the next few years, as production kicks off and the Airlander 10 enters into service.

"The first Airlander aircraft to be built will be flying in 2026 and in service with customers from 2027. We have robust plans in place to support our entry into service programme and scaling-up to manufacture 24 aircraft each year before the end of the decade," explains Grundy.

Rethinking The Way Transport Operates

HAV's next aircraft is the Airlander 50. Like Airlander 10, it will be able to move cargo or people point-to-point with minimal infrastructure. A fully electric Airlander 50 could be available by 2033. 

"Looking to the future, we are bringing Airlander 50 into development to move larger payloads across greater distances. Like Airlander 10, this aircraft will be capable of taking off and landing on water, land, and other surfaces, allowing operations from austere locations. Unlike Airlander 10, the Airlander 50 will have a 50-60 tonne payload, and is capable of carrying six 20-foot ISO containers and 48 passengers over 2,200 kilometres," says Grundy.

"Its ability to stay airborne for prolonged periods will help to exploit a gap in the market for freight that doesn’t need to be moved in less than 24 hours but can’t wait three weeks on a ship," he adds.

Finally, we asked Grundy for his views on where transportation is heading in the future.

"Airlander presents an opportunity to rethink the way transport operates. As the need to develop this infrastructure is reduced, we hope to see greater connectivity with hard-to-reach communities and improved efficiency regarding transportation times," he predicts.