Luffships’ other buoyant aircraft stem from arrangements for specific purposes or customers to provide solutions covering needs arising. They include both unidirectional (UD) and omni-directional (O-D) or special types, sometimes as a way to provide an interim solution for duties urgently needed for which there isn’t an available way yet – such as an aerial crane for use at short notice to recover a derailed locomotive in a situation where no other crane can be provided.
Other types prepared are as follows:
UD Buoyant Aircraft
- Patroller 3 – a small semi-buoyant dirigible aircraft for long endurance patrol duties
- Airship 3000 – a dirigible buoyant aircraft for general airship duties
O-D Buoyant Aircraft
- Big Balloon – a simple naturally shaped hydrogen filled balloon for aerial crane duties
Note: The categories (Balloons, Normal, Commuter and Transport) are EASA & FAA airworthiness authority terms for different buoyant aircraft sizes/types.
