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Sergey Brin’s secret airship will deliver aid and schlep his family
Last month, news dropped that Google co-founder Sergey Brin is building an airship on the sly -- not a traditional airplane but an honest-to-god helium-filled dirigible. He insisted the project wasn't operating under the tech titan, even as his fellow co-founder backed a "flying car," it wasn't clear what Brin would be doing with the world's largest current aircraft. Now, details are starting to come out: Apparently, the zeppelin will split its time between delivering humanitarian supplies to remote locations and serving as a luxurious "air yacht" for Brin's friends and family.
Bloomberg: Google co-founder Sergey Brin has a 'secret airship'
A couple of days ago we got a good look at a "flying car" backed by Google's Larry Page, and now Bloomberg reports that Sergey Brin has a project too -- it's a zeppelin. The airship "which isn't an Alphabet project" is being built in a leased hangar at the NASA Ames Research Center, although it's unclear if there are any plans to make a business out of it. The report points to former NASA director Alan Weston as leader of the project, citing a radio interview where he described a helium-filled (it's actually flame-retardant) vehicle for cargo hauling and a LinkedIn profile that momentarily listed him as CEO of "Ltare."
Goodyear's first new blimp design in 45 years... isn't actually a blimp
For 45 years, Goodyear has been using the same ole model for its Blimp fleet, famous for flashing ads in the skies and taking aerial shots of big events. Now, the tire company has finally launched the first dirigible in its next-generation fleet, and it's not even a blimp anymore -- it's a zeppelin. Considering blimp technology's remained largely the same all this time (imagine, the last time Goodyear bothered with a new design was when Apollo 11 landed on the moon), the switch is certainly understandable. This model (called Zeppelin NT) is capable of vertical take off and landing, and is larger and faster than the company's current airships, thanks to its three movable engines. Unlike traditional zeppelins with rigid structures, though, it's more of a zeppelin-blimp hybrid, as it relies both on internal pressure and a frame to maintain its shape.
Guns of Icarus Online soars to October 29 launch, pre-order now
Guns of Icarus Online, also known as That Video Game Where You Shoot Things From A Steampunk Dirigible, launches on October 29 and is available now for pre-order on Steam, for PC and Mac.Guns of Icarus Online is on sale during the pre-order frenzy, selling at 25 percent off for the standard edition, at $15. The Collectors Edition is 24 percent off, for $25, and includes the Captain's Costume Pack and the soundtrack. A Collectors Edition four-pack is also 24 percent off, for $35. Since Guns of Icarus Online is a team-based multiplayer game (on steampunk dirigibles, did we mention?), the four-pack is good for bullying friends into playing with you.All pre-orders provide instant access to the beta. Get flying, folks.%Gallery-166178%
US Army's LEMV spy blimp spotted hovering over New Jersey, may take up cargo duties (video)
The US Army's not-so-secret Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) spy blimp is better at staying hidden than we thought... if unintentionally. Although it was due to fly the friendly skies of Lakehurst, New Jersey in mid-June, Northrop Grumman's usually unmanned surveillance was only just caught floating over the Jersey Shore as part of a maiden flight on August 8th. The conspicuous, delayed test run proved that the LEMV could take off, steer and land smoothly, and started a series of exercises that should culminate in combat trials over Afghanistan at the start of 2013. Northrop's KC Brown Jr. tells Wired that there's a possible (if purely coincidental) consolation for missing another deadline -- the airship could be used in a pinch for carrying as much as seven tons of supplies without getting into harm's way, albeit at a fairly glacial 30MPH. The successful first flight won't be much consolation to Mav6, whose Blue Devil 2 was scuttled at the last minute after technical issues; it's nonetheless a relief for US troops, who may get weeks at a time of constant intelligence on enemy movements. Catch a short snippet of the early LEMV journey after the break.
Army spy blimp to launch within weeks: 300 feet long, $500 million, 'multi-intelligent'
It can't go faster than 34MPH and it's already a year late for its planned deployment in Afghanistan, but Northrop Grumman's Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is now set for its maiden flight. The test run is scheduled for sometime between June 6th and 10th over Lakehurst, New Jersey, whose residents ought to be forewarned that it is not a solar eclipse or a Death Star, but simply a helium-filled pilotless reconnaissance and communications airship that happens to be the size of a football field. After floating around for a while, the giant dirigible is expected to journey south to Florida, where it'll be fitted to a custom-built gondola that will carry the bulk of its equipment, and by which time her enemies hopefully won't have come into possession of an air force.
The Daily Grind: What 'world of' game do you want to see next?
Wargaming.net is known to gamers for its popular World of Tanks MMO, in which players play... well, tanks. And thanks to WoT's success, the company has embarked on an ambitious plan to launch World of Warplanes and World of Battleships too. I think you know where I'm going with this. World of Dirigibles? World of Tractors? World of Hoverboards? World of Dunebuggies? World of Post-Apocalyptic Volkswagen Beetles With Chainguns Mounted On Their Hoods? Let's give the folks at Wargaming.net some helpful advice. What vehicle should they feature for their next "World of" game? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Solar Ship takes to the skies powered by good deeds and sunshine (video)
The Solar Ship is a little bit airplane, a little bit blimp and all good intentions. The hybrid dirigible combines the cockpit and landing gear of a plane with the top of a blimp, the latter of which is lined with solar panels. The green vehicle can take off from and land on short runways, an ideal feature in a craft designed to deliver supplies to areas hit by natural disasters or with otherwise rough terrains. The ship will come in three sizes, and the company will be offering up more public demonstrations next year. If you can't wait that long, however, you can check out a test run after the jump.
Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing
Because dirigibles were such a great idea the first, completely non-disastrous time around, Lockheed Martin and the US Army have teamed up to bring the quaint technology back into our hyper-modern era. The lighter-than-air vehicle got a new lease on unmanned flight life when it launched yesterday from its base in Akron, Ohio. The High Altitude Long Endurance-Demonstrator (HALE-D for short) reached 32,000 ft during its maiden voyage before technical difficulties cut the test short, forcing an emergency landing in the deep woods of southwestern Pennsylvania. Despite the flight-aborting hiccup, the global security company is all smiles, citing the successful demonstration of "communications links, [the] unique propulsion system, solar array electricity generation [and] remote piloting communications." Future real-world versions of HALE-D could serve as a military "telecommunications relay system" over foreign terrain -- like Afghanistan -- where radio signals can't penetrate. The Defense Department contractor is currently retrieving the airship from its foresty crash pad, but you can bet some locals already called this close encounter in to the local papers. Skip past the break for Archer's take on our government's latest airborne effort.
'Miraculous' Aeros airship set to fly by 2013, thanks to DOD funding
Are you nostalgic for a time when the word "zeppelin" stood for leisurely intercontinental travel for the rich and famous, rather than bass-heavy portable sound and MotoBlur phones? Take heart, as Ukrainian entrepreneur Igor Pasternak claims to have solved the "buoyancy problem" that has long limited the usefulness of airships. The problem is that burning fuel or dropping cargo lightens the ship, which then needs to vent costly helium to return to earth; without a way to control buoyancy, take-offs and landings become complicated to the point of uselessness. Pasternak claims to have solved this sticking point by compressing the pricey gas, thereby conserving it for later use. The Defense Department (which loves its warblimps) has contracted his company, Aeros, to provide a working demonstration by 2012-13. Dubbed Pelican, it will only fly without a payload at first -- but if the technology proves feasible, we might just see a new Era of Airships.
Flying saucer blimp that can haul 150 tons at a time? Yes, please
A company in Australia is trying to increase the load that flying vehicles can carry through the air and we have to say, we think they might be onto something awesome. Skylifter's flying saucer shaped disc concept is 500 feet across, and could haul about 150 tons of cargo across long distances of about 1,500 miles. The proposed capacity is nearly 700 times what a helicopter designed for hauling can safely carry. The disc shape helps the craft to be less susceptible to winds, and it will also be easier to steer. The company already has a 10-foot prototype built, and hopes to have the actual crafts ready some time in the next three years.
US looking to deploy long-endurance hybrid airship over Afghanistan
We may see more airship proposals than actual airships 'round these parts, but it looks like this massive dirigible from Lockheed Martin will indeed be taking flight sooner rather than later, and could see action in Afghanistan by mid-2011. Dubbed the LEMV (or Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle), the airship is apparently "optionally manned," and can stay aloft at 20,000 feet for up to 21 days at a time, while also carrying a payload of up to 2,500 pounds. That relatively fast deployment is aided in part by the fact that the airship is basically a larger version of Lockheed's P-791 (twice as big, in fact), which has already flown six times and, as you can see in the video after the break, is pretty massive in its own right.[Via The Register]
DARPA, Air Force develop hydrogen-powered spy blimp
The Air Force has announced that it will do its part for economic stimulus by spending $400 million on a dirigible designed to float 65,000 feet above the Earth, where it will provide constant surveillance of an area (such as the Afghanistan-Pakistan border). ISIS (Integrated Sensor Is the Structure) is being billed as a cross between a satellite and a spy plane, kept aloft by helium and powered by hydrogen fuel cells that are recharged with solar panels. The thing will remain in place for up to ten years providing, as one Air Force scientist gushed, "constant surveillance, uninterrupted." If successful, the Air Force would like to see a whole fleet of these things. DARPA has signed on, agreeing to deliver a prototype by 2014.
BAE's GA22 unmanned blimp makes its debut, we love blimps
We're not sure what's going on here, but we're not going to complain: Blimps are making a comeback. There are powerful hauling blimps, sure, but BAE is hopping on the autonomous systems bandwagon with its nimble GA22. The 22-meter (72 feet) dirigible is meant to carry high-tech surveillance equipment weighing up to 330 pounds at an altitude around 6,500 feet. The unmanned craft could also be used for sporting events, floods, and forest fires, says BAE. Right now the vehicle is radio-controlled but the ultimate release will be completely autonomous. Unfortunately, this means we can't take a ride, but, as we said, it's still a blimp, and blimps are just straight-up cool.[Via Danger Room]
Geostationary banana blimp to hover over Texas?
We've always heard that everything's larger in Texas, and since it's home to one of the largest PC / accessory vendors on the planet, will soon have the world's largest domed stadium, and calls the "Godzillatron" its own, we're starting to believe it. Cesar Saez feels the larger than life love too, as the artist is crafting a "helium-inflated 300-meter banana" to hover above the Lonestar state for a month, and while we'd just love (ahem) for it to pack a bevy of voyeuristic camera gear, this fruit is strictly for gazing at. The Geostationary Banana Over Texas project seeks to lift the dirigible above Texas for no other reason than to express his apparent appreciation for the uniquities in life, as Mr. Saez himself simply stated that "Texas is as symbolic as the banana," leaving us all to wonder what exactly that means. Nevertheless, the project is slated to cost around $1 million when it's all said and done, and while we're not precisely sure when the giant yellow balloon will lift off, we doubt it'll be hard to miss.[Via TechDigest]
