Airlander

UK-based company Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has unveiled its Airlander 10 hybrid airship in Bedfordshire.

Claimed to be the biggest aircraft of the world, Airlander 10 combines the designs of an airship and a helicopter.

The airship is the size of a football field and the height of six double-decker buses.

The 302ft-long aircraft is nearly 50ft longer than the largest commercial airliners and expected to take its first flight later this year, reports The Telegraph.

Originally initiated for the US Army in 2009, the project has been under development for the last nine years.

"Claimed to be the biggest aircraft of the world, Airlander 10 combines the designs of an airship and a helicopter."

However, following the abandonment of the project by the army, it has been developed for commercial use.

According to HAV, Airlander 10 can take-off vertically and land on almost any surface, such as ice, sand and water, with no noise zero emissions.

By 2018, the company expects to build 12 Airlanders a year, with the ability to carry up to 48 passengers.

After completing 200h of test flights, the aircraft will get ready for its first commercial flight.

For developing Airlander, HAV so far has generated $25.2m from 1,000 shareholders, reports Reuters.

The project has also received investments from the US, and grants from the UK and the EU.

HAV said that the newly unveiled aircraft would stay in the air for up to two weeks.

Image: Airlander 10 combines the designs of an airship and a helicopter. Photo: courtesy of Hybrid Air Vehicles.