Airship development joint venture Sanswire-TAO has completed testing of its STS-111's propulsion system at 9,000ft (2,750m) with a goal of operating at 15,000ft. The next step will be testing of the propulsion system at increasing altitudes.
The company says that flight tests to date, with its 23m scale-model prototype at 3,000ft, have increased manoeuvrability, reduced overall drag through its own adaptive trim system and extended endurance.
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© SanswireConcept image of Sanswire's airship |
The adaptive trim system automatically senses and alters the centre of gravity throughout flight. The company is a 50-50 joint venture between Ft Lauderdale-headquartered aerospace communications specialist Sanswire and lighter-than-air unmanned air vehicles maker TAO Technologies, of Stuttgart.
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© SanswireAirship in production |
Source: Flight International
