Because dirigibles were such a great idea the first, thoroughly non-disastrous time around, Lockheed Martin and the US Army have teamed up to bring the quaint mechanization 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 apex Long Endurance-Demonstrator (HALE-D for short) reached 32,000 ft during its maiden voyage before specialized difficulties cut the test short, forcing an tension landing in the deep woods of southwestern Pennsylvania. Despite the flight-aborting hiccup, the global token company is all smiles, citing the successful demonstration of "communications links, unique propulsion system, solar array electricity generation [and] remote piloting communications." Future real-world versions of HALE-D could serve as a martial "telecommunications relay system" over foreign terrain -- like Afghanistan -- where radio signals can't penetrate. The Defense tract contractor is currently retrieving the airship from its foresty crash pad, but you can bet some locals already called this close fight in to the local papers. Skip past the break for Archer's take on our government's latest airborne effort.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing

Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing basically appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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