Lockheed Martin created a commercial company called AT2 Aerospace to explore the potential of hybrid airships. Based in Santa Clarita, Calif., the AT2 team is developing hybrid airship solutions to support commercial and humanitarian applications around the world. 

Hybrid airships are powered vehicles that are elevated partly by lighter-than-air capability and partly by aerodynamic lift technology. Lockheed’s proposed hybrid airship, the Z1, features a tri-lobed hull, buoyant lifting body and an air-cushion landing system that would allow takeoff or landing from anywhere. According to AT2, the Z1 offers a cost-effective solution for heavy cargo transportation while minimizing environmental and social impact.