When CargoForwarder Global reported on the Airship panel at the Dubai Expo 2020 back on 11NOV21, there was an optimistic view that ‘huge progress’ was happening and there could be as many as 400+ airships in the sky by 2030***. We are now just 5 years shy of that deadline, and the vision seems to be increasingly ambitious. Nevertheless, according to a 360iResearch paper from 31OCT24, the Airships Market (estimated at USD 733.88 million in 2024) is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 7.71%, to USD 1,147.35 million by 2030. And a recent USD 50 million hybrid airship order by Straightline Aviation for AT² Aerospace Z1 airships, is another milestone towards that 2030 success achievement.
As Mark Dorey, CEO of Straightline Aviation, commented during the order signing: “This is a defining moment for Straightline Aviation and the global logistics industry. The Z1 is a game-changer, offering a flexible, cost-efficient, sustainable solution for delivering goods and services to remote communities where traditional transport is impractical or environmentally disruptive. The Z1 has multiple applications across numerous regions of the world, including cargo delivery, oil, gas and mining operations support and, crucially, the delivery of humanitarian aid. Our partnership with AT² Aerospace combines unrivalled airship operations experience with extensive technical expertise and ensures we are at the forefront of this new era of aviation.” In a recent Telegraph article, he lauded the adaptability of the Z1, likening it to a ‘flying truck’ and explained that its landing system is unique in that it can descend on practically any kind of surface including lakes, snowfields or forest clearings. It therefore lends itself to deployment in regions that are often inaccessible due to icy road surfaces, for example.
USD 50 million order placed
Shropshire, UK-based Straightline Aviation’s focus on humanitarian missions and remote logistics led it to place a USD 50 million order for a Z1 hybrid airship with the Californian Lockheed Martin spin-off, AT² Aerospace. Upon delivery of its first Z1 (one of a potential fleet of around 12 at a later stage) in 2028, it will be used for cargo projects in Brazil, Alaska and northern Canada. Mike Kendrick, Chairman and Co-Founder of Straightline Aviation, explained the company’s decision: “With decades of experience in airship operations, we understand exactly what it takes to deliver reliable, efficient and sustainable transport solutions. The Z1 hybrid airship is the culmination of years of innovation, and our team’s expertise ensures we can maximise its potential to meet our clients’ needs. Whether it’s remote logistics or humanitarian aid, this aircraft gives us an unprecedented capability to operate in areas where traditional aviation simply cannot.” And not only at a fraction of the cost of conventional air cargo, but also with far lower fuel consumption and emissions.
Another step forward for AT² Aerospace
AT² Aerospace CEO, Dr. Bob Boyd, also declared: “This is a seminal moment in sustainable aviation. Our hybrid airships will transform cargo transport by providing an environmentally responsible solution while maintaining operational efficiency. We are excited to partner with Straightline Aviation to deliver this landmark order.” And not just Straightline Aviation which has partly followed through on its 06JUN23 Letter of Intent that, at the time, foresaw a purchase of three hybrid airships with options on a further 12 to be delivered within the first three years of production, and wherein it would act as the lead customer of the Z1. Now, in 2025, its order follows hot on the heels of that of another key customer. On 27FEB25, Arctic Airships, a leading provider of sustainable remote logistics in Alaska, placed a significant purchase order for 2 hybrid airships along with an option for 18 additional airships. The purchase order amount remains undisclosed in this case.
A significant shift towards alternative sustainable aviation
Though airships still rarely feature at mainstream air cargo events, there is much going on in the retro-futuristic niche market that is looking to muscle in on the air cargo industry. 2025 should have been a breakthrough year for companies such as Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) and Flying Whales, which were both hoping to then be off the ground. Various challenges stretching from lifting gas choices and buoyancy control, through to bureaucracy, for example, have meant a shift in planning. HAV now aims to deliver its hybrid-electric Airlander 10 in 2028, offering a 90% reduction in emissions compared to conventional aircraft – and intends to go all electric (and thus emission-free) just two year later. Flying Whales was originally planning to fly its first 60-ton payload airship freighter this year, but has been delayed by problems in sourcing a production site, and is therefore now aiming for 2027, with commercial flights beginning in 2029. Likewise, over at H2 Clipper, “the world’s first point-to-point hydrogen delivery system, the pipeline-in-the-sky™”, its prototype flight should get off the ground next year, in preparation for commercial operations beginning in 2029.
Not only do these and similar airship companies that have emerged in Europe, America, and Russia in the past decade, envisage more environmentally sound cargo alternatives, but they expect to be around 70% cheaper than traditional air cargo solutions, today – and they offer manifold cargo and, above all, humanitarian transport solutions. The path is not quite as straightforward as originally planned, but it will be interesting to revisit this topic in 5 years from now.
***Title: Airships: The Big Revival 100 years later? Published 11NOV2021 in our portal
