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- Innovative design and scale: Flying Whales is developing a huge airship, the LCA60T (200 m long and 50 m in diameter), with a payload capacity of up to 60 tons, which can transport containers and other bulky cargo, while avoiding the need for a runway or complex infrastructure.
- Technology and energy supply: The LCA60T will be equipped with electric propeller engines (32 pcs.), powered by batteries in combination with turbogenerators (a hydrogen power plant is planned in the future), as well as a multilayer structure of composite beams and metal joints for maximum aerodynamic and structural effect.
- The revival of airships and future prospects: The Flying Whales project reflects a global trend towards "green" solutions in transport, opening up the prospect of using airships for cargo transportation to remote regions, rapid response during emergencies, and even mobile hospitals, although economic feasibility remains to be verified and technological challenges to be overcome.
Imagine a huge, state-of-the-art helium balloon towering over an NFL football field, surpassing the Airbus Beluga XL in terms of cargo capacity and at the same time generating several megawatts of power for almost three dozen propellers. It is not for nothing that such a structure is compared to a “flying whale”. And this is not just a fantasy: the French startup Flying Whales has been working on a similar project for over a decade. The developers hope that in the future this unique device will be able to radically change logistics, connecting settlements with remote and almost inaccessible areas of the planet, delivering goods and materials there without even touching the ground.
Accustomed to seeing Goodyear airships hovering over stadiums during football or baseball games, we often don't realize how rare they are in the 2022st century. According to Fox Weather (10), there are only about 25 operational airships left in the world, with Goodyear's small fleet included in that list. Other sources put the figure at XNUMX in total, of which about half are still in operation.
At the same time, modern Goodyear airships are semi-rigid structures, so the figures given actually describe all possible form factors - soft, semi-rigid or even rigid airships. It turns out that there are only a few such devices left in the world.
To be honest, this is a tiny fraction of what was once expected of such technology. Its decline was influenced by: the disaster of the giant hydrogen airship Hindenburg in 1937, the high cost and difficulties of safely supplying helium, as well as the development of more efficient alternatives - airplanes and drones, which pushed classic balloons to the brink of extinction.
This idea is part of a larger vision that envisions 21st-century “flying whales” as advanced airships capable of handling a range of transportation tasks with minimal environmental impact. Today, aviation is increasingly interested in technologies that reduce its carbon footprint, and lighter-than-air balloons could eventually consume far less energy to take off and fly than airplanes. This makes airships an attractive option for both cargo and passenger transport in the context of combating climate change, especially if low- or zero-emission engines are used. Some current initiatives even envisage a return to hydrogen as a lifting gas.
Flying whales for the future
French startup Flying Whales has been developing the “airship of the future” since 2012. The initial goal was to use the 60-ton LCA60T to transport timber from hard-to-reach logging areas. Over time, the company has expanded the capabilities of the device: from delivering building materials to places without developed infrastructure, to delivering humanitarian aid and even creating mobile hospitals. All this is designed to eliminate the need for roads or ports - the airship can hover over its destination without touching the ground.
A short presentation video from Flying Whales demonstrates these ideas in a visual form, noting that the operating costs of the LCA60T are estimated to be about one-fifth of those of an Airbus Beluga-level transport aircraft.
Technical specifications LCA60T
The LCA60T is planned to be larger than the Airlander 10 and the 124-meter Pathfinder 1. It will be 200 meters long and 50 meters in diameter. Inside, it is planned to equip a cargo compartment 96 meters long, capable of transporting up to 60 kg of goods in one flight. To keep the giant in the air, it is planned to use 000 cubic meters (180 million cubic feet) of helium, which will provide flights at an altitude of up to 000 meters.
The heart of the structure will be a space frame made of composite beams and metal connections; its total length will exceed 80 km. Between the 14 sealed helium modules and a special outer shell is a lattice skeleton that gives the device shape and strength. Each of the helium compartments will be equipped with sensors that will monitor temperature, pressure and humidity to maintain optimal lifting force.
The cargo bay at the bottom of the airship will be equipped with a dual sliding door system and hydraulic cables, allowing loading and unloading without landing, eliminating the need for bulky ground infrastructure.
Power plant and partners
Flying Whales is expected to have 32 propellers with a total power of 4000 kW (5360 hp), which should provide a top speed of about 54 knots (100 km/h). The initial version will use high-voltage lithium-ion batteries along with turbogenerators, but in the future the company wants to switch to hydrogen fuel cells to reduce emissions.
British startup Evolito, a subsidiary of Yasa, recently announced that it will supply its D60 axial-flow engines (250 hp each) for the LCA308T. In total, the airship will have 32 of these power units.
For now, most of the project exists at the level of drawings and visualizations. Flying Whales continues to develop the necessary components and work out the systems to eventually build a working prototype. Flight testing is expected to begin in 2027, although this date could easily be pushed back, given the scale and complexity of the task.
In January, the company announced the start of wind tunnel tests of Diatex, a lightweight polyester material with a special coating, intended for the outer shell of the airship. Flying Whales is also actively concluding new partnership agreements, attracting financing, and participating in exhibitions and forums.
The future of airships: are hopes justified?
In addition to technical and safety challenges, one of the main factors that hindered the development of airships in the 300th century was the enormous cost of construction and operation. According to PitchBook, Flying Whales has already attracted more than $60 million in public and private investment, but the first full-scale tests are still several years away. Therefore, the question remains: will the LCAXNUMXT prove to be a cost-effective solution, or will it become another bold but unproven experiment? Similar doubts accompany many other innovative startups, including in the airship industry.
However, as long as these ambitious projects continue, we will follow their development and wait for the "flying whales" to take to the skies, offering the world a more environmentally friendly and exciting way to transport goods and passengers.
French startup introduces new generation cargo airship (photo + video) appeared first on Curiosity.
