AIAA Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technology (LTA) Conference

25-28 March 2013, Daytona Beach, Florida

AIAA 2013-1362

Status and Plans of High Altitude Airship (HAATM) Program

Stavros P. Androulakakis1, Ph.D.
Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training, Akron, Ohio, 44315

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Ricky A. Judy2
U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, Huntsville, Alabama, 35807

This paper describes the design, development, concept of operations and flight test of a
demonstrator developed for the High Altitude Airship (HAATM) program. The key objective
of the HAATM program is to develop unmanned lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms that can
carry large multi-mission payloads (20004000 lb) to high altitudes (6065 kft Mean Sea
Level) for extended periods. The High Altitude Long Endurance Demonstrator (HALE-D)
was developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command/
Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC/ARSTRAT) beginning in July 2008, and was
flight tested in July 2011. HALE-D was the first non-flaccidly launched airship with a fully
regenerative solar-based power system designed to operate in the stratosphere. It used the
largest solar array and largest rechargeable Li-Ion battery of any aerial platform.

Nomenclature
AATD
ARSTRAT
ARTCC
BLOS
C2
FAA
FOC
HAATM
HALE-D
ISR
Li-Ion
LOS
LTA
MDA
MSL
NAS
PCDU
UAS
USASMDC
VMS

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Aviation Applied Technology Directorate

Army Forces Strategic Command
Air Traffic Control Center
Beyond Line of Sight
Command and Control
Federal Aviation Administration
Flight Operations Center
High Altitude Airship
High Altitude Long Endurance Demonstrator
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Lithium-Ion
Line of Sight
Lighter-Than-Air
Missile Defense Agency
Mean Sea Level
National Airspace System
Power Control and Distribution Unit
Unmanned Aerial System
U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command
Vehicle Management System

I. Introduction

TM

he High Altitude Airship (HAA ) is a multi-mission, multi-payload, unmanned aerial system (UAS) concept for
carrying large payloads to high altitudes (6065 kft MSL) for extended periods. When equipped with appropriate
sensors, the HAATM can be an integral part of various architectures, including Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance (ISR), communications, and missile defense. As an example, integrated HAATM systems can serve the
entire cruise and ballistic missile defense engagement sequence, i.e., Surveillance, Acquisition, Tracking,
Discrimination, Communications, Engagement Planning, Threat Engagement, and Kill Assessment. Other missions for
1
2

Senior Program Mgr, Persistent Surveillance Systems, 1210 Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44315, AIAA Member.
Space Systems Analyst, USASMDC/ARSTRAT, P.O. Box 1500, Huntsville, AL 35807.
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Altitude
Airship

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an HAATM are: persistent over-the-horizon communications, battlefield C3ISR, real-time tracking of high-value assets,
blue force tracking, battle damage assessment, battlespace situational awareness, homeland defense, border protection,
maritime domain awareness, natural disaster (i.e., oil spill) response, rapid satellite capability augmentation, and
tsunami detection.
A large trade space of altitude, airspeed, endurance, payload capacity (in terms of weight and power), area of
operation, and time-of-year operation exists for HAATM designs. Those with solar regenerative power (such as the
HALE-D), along with appropriate subsystem redundancies and reliabilities, have the potential for multi-month ataltitude endurance, providing substantially lower operating costs for long-persistence missions than other airborne
alternatives that are mission-limited by the amount of fuel they can carry. Multiple payloads can be quickly and easily
installed at various locations onboard the airship, including on top (as was shown with HALE-D). The airship platform
provides a benign vibration and g-load operating environment for its payloads, extending their reliability to meet the
demands of extreme-endurance flight operations and improving the pointing and tracking accuracy of RF, EO and IR
payload systems. The HAATM ascends to its nominal operating altitude within three hours after launch, and then transits
to its area of operation for station keeping against the prevailing winds. After several weeks or months, the airship
transits at high altitude to its base, where it lands after a five-hour descent. The HAATM does not require any in-theater
logistics, minimizing operating costs. HAATM designs with long at-altitude endurance capabilities minimize traversals
of controlled airspace, reducing potential disruption of public airspace and simplifying their integration into national
airspace system(s).
The HAATM program began in 2002 as an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program with the Missile
Defense Agency (MDA) as the Lead Government Agency, USASMDC/ARSTRAT as the Transition Manager, and
Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor. Achievement of an HAATM Operational System, as viewed by MDA at that
time for support of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, is shown in Fig. 1. Two concurrent and parallel development
paths were envisioned. The first path was to build, integrate, and flight test an HAATM Prototype System, the second
was to advance and improve the performance of key technologies (e.g., power and materials) so that the follow-on
HAATM Operational System would be more capable and as small asTMpossible. Though construction of the Prototype
HAA
System was awarded to Lockheed Martin in December 2005,
ensuing Program
changes early in Plan
2006 to MDA priorities and
budget stalled the effort and the
program was re-planned to reflect a
HAA Prototype Proves the Concept
more limited funding stream.
TM
In early 2008 the HAA
program was transferred from
Prototype System Demonstrating Persistent
Stratospheric Station-keeping Flight
MDA to USASMDC/ARSTRAT.
It became clear that funding to
Parallel Track of Prototype System Demonstration
and Technology Improvement Project (TIP) is the
execute the original two-path plan
Best Path to the HAA Operational System
was not going to materialize.
High Performance Energy
Consequently, the program team
Advanced
Improved Fabrics &
Storage - Batteries &
Solar Cells
Coatings
Regenerative Fuel Cells
was asked to develop the lowest
HAA Operational System
possible cost concept that would
allow flight testing of a minimally
capable airship at 60 kft altitude.
The decision was made to design
HAA TIP Provides the Improved Technologies
and manufacture the High Altitude
Long Endurance Demonstrator
Figure 1. High Altitude Airship Program Plan.
(HALE-D), a much smaller and less
capable airship than the originally planned Prototype System.
TM

TM

TM

TM

II. High Altitude Long Endurance Demonstrator (HALE-D) Development

The primary objective for HALE-D was to demonstrate multi-day operations at high altitude (60 kft). The design
used state-of-the-art technologies sufficiently tested to minimize program risk while executing within the constraints
of limited funding. The allocated budget resulted in a minimalist approach to system capabilities and redundancies, a
necessary position acknowledged and accepted in order to stay within the prescribed fiscal boundaries. For example,
unlike the Prototype and Operational System concepts, HALE-D was built with two propulsion units rather than
four, and with only one air valve rather than multiple. Three critical areas where redundancies were implemented
despite cost constraints were the power subsystem, command and control (C2) function, and safety-related
subsystems. These were deemed essential to maintain positive control of the airship during the planned flight and in
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the event of unplanned contingencies. Within the power subsystem, the solar array had multiple independent
segments to allow continued power generation in the event of failure in some segments. The Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
battery also had multiple modules, allowing continued power storage and generation in the event of failure in any
individual module. The C2 function incorporated two independent, functionally identical Flight Operations Centers
(FOCs); one FOC was fixed and located at the Akron, Ohio, Airdock, the other one was mobile. Each FOC and the
airship had multiple redundant beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) and line-of-sight (LOS) links. Safety-related subsystems
included two independent flight transponders, two independent flight termination systems, and associated power
backups in the unlikely event of total failure of the main power system.
The airships maneuvering and propulsion capabilities at altitudes below 55,000 ft MSL were minimal, a
limitation derived from the realities of a limited budget. As a result, the final approved flight plan was to demonstrate
the system at high altitude only once and then terminate the flight over a USAF exercise site in east central Ohio.
A. HALE-D Top-Level Description
The HALE-D hull is constructed from state of-the-art
Lockheed Martin. Its dimensions and other top-level
information are provided in Table 1. The HALE-D
airframe configuration is shown in Fig. 2. The
aerodynamic-shaped hull and the four inflated fins
arranged in an X orientation make up the airframe
assembly. Several subsystems are attached to the exterior
of the hull. The power subsystem includes a solar array
for daytime operation and a rechargeable battery for
night operation. The power system provides electric
power for airship operations and also provides 150 W
continuous power to the payloads. The payload bay and
the airship lower equipment bay are mounted on the
bottom of the hull. An additional equipment bay is also
mounted on top of the airship.

lightweight, flexible composite materials developed by

Table 1. Top-Level HALE-D Information.
500,000 ft3
Hull Volume
240 ft
Length
70 ft
Diameter
3,000 lb
Sea Level Gross Weight
2 kW electric
Propulsion Motors
40 kWh Li-Ion battery
Energy Storage
15 kW thin film
Solar Array
20 ktas @ 60 kft
Cruise Speed

B. Airship Envelope
The HALE-D envelope subsystem consists of the hull, empennage (fins), helium cells, and accessories. The
inflated envelope provides the structure for mounting the various airship subsystems and the payload. Two of its
main functions are to provide the aerodynamic shape for minimum drag and stable flight, and to retain helium. The
airship hull is the outer pressure vessel and main structural
element of the airship. It is a pressure-stabilized structure
built in a laminar flow profile to reduce drag. The hull is
constructed of fabric laminates containing high-tenacity
fibers for strength, adhesives, films as primary helium
barriers, and protective outer layers. The fabric laminates
are key enabling elements needed to meet weight, strength,
ply adhesion, helium permeability, seamability, and
lifetime requirements. The outer layers of these laminates
are designed to protect the strength members of the
laminate from the environment and to minimize diurnal
temperature variations of the lifting gases inside the airship
envelope. The hull is fabricated using panels and gores in a
manner that provides an optimum blend of producibility
and cost while meeting performance requirements.
Figure 2. Top-Level HALE-D Views.
The empennage consists of four inflated fins in an Xtail configuration. The lobes of each fin approximate an optimized airfoil profile. The fins are constructed of a
lightweight laminate similar to those used in the hull, and their design is based on the proven Lockheed Martin
inflated fin design used on tethered aerostats such as the 420K and the U.S. Armys Persistent Threat Detection
System (PTDS). The fins are designed to ensure stability over all loading scenarios in a manner that is scalable for
future HAAs. Utilizing a specialty finite-element code, guy line placements were selected to maintain each fin in a
stable configuration over all expected combinations of internal pressure and aerodynamic loading using the
minimum number of guy lines.
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Envelope accessories include tapes, patches, reinforcements, and various mounting structures such as fan
patches, tie tabs, lacing strips, grommet ports, etc. applied to the airship envelope. These are specialty items
requiring unique design, sizing, and placement on the airship in order to properly distribute the loads. Fan patches
are used for handling line and guy attachments, and lacing strips and tie tabs are used for attaching equipment or
cabling to the airship. Their design considered the specific magnitude and direction of the loads applied to the hull
and the state of stress of the hull fabric in the loaded area.
The hull is partitioned into helium cells to limit changes in pitch trim due to helium slosh, primarily during
ascent and descent. The helium cells are made of specialty laminates using high-tenacity fibers selected to minimize
weight. At ground level, the helium cells are only partially filled with helium. During ascent, the atmospheric
pressure decreases with increasing altitude and the helium expands to fill the helium cells. The HALE-D is designed
to operate at a pressure altitude of 60 kft; at that altitude, all air from the hull is expelled and the hull is completely
filled with helium.
C. Power Subsystem
The airship power subsystem uses a solar photovoltaic array as the primary electrical power source during
daytime. Power for nighttime operations is provided from a Li-Ion polymer battery, which is recharged during the
day from the solar array. This solar-regenerative architecture is an enabling technology for long-term flight. The
HALE-D power system architecture is based on direct energy transfer architecture, a technique proven on multiple
spacecraft programs. This design is made very efficient by directly connecting the solar array to the battery through
an isolating diode to charge the battery during daylight hours. Once the battery is fully charged, the power
electronics lower the solar array current to continue servicing the propulsion, payload and hotel loads.
For the HALE-D mission, the solar array power requirement was 15 kW. This represents the size of the solar
array needed to be installed on the airship after derating for
operating temperature and various other factors. The solar array
uses thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells and is sized to
account for cosine losses resulting from airship hull curvature,
sun angles, and airship orientation. The solar array is composed
of a number of solar array strings that are individually switched
onto the electrical bus. Each string is composed of multiple
solar array blankets, which are assemblies of multiple
individual solar cells. The solar array blankets are mounted on
top of the airship (Fig. 3) with consideration of the diurnal
expansion and contraction of the airship envelope.
The battery consists of a module with multiple banks of LiIon polymer battery cells. During operation the battery depth of
discharge is limited to protect the cells and conserve their
Figure 3. Solar Array. The array is shown
lifetime. This battery cell design was proven in successful yearinstalled on the airship, which is rotated for
long cyclic testing. The flight battery was tested in a
easier access.
thermal/vacuum chamber to simulate the 60-70 kft altitude
before it was integrated on HALE-D (Fig. 4).
A Power Control and Distribution Unit (PCDU, Fig. 4),
based on spacecraft heritage designs, is used to switch the
power loads on and off the bus as well as provide fault
protection. The PCDU performs solar array control by
switching in solar array strings to power the loads and charge
the battery. It also performs battery monitoring and
command/telemetry interface functions.
The power system was integrated onto the airship in late
2010 and early 2011. Initial tests verified the integrated battery,
PCDU and airship electrical load along with the C2 interfaces.
Additional system-level tests included exposure of the airship
to direct sunlight to verify solar array operation and batterycharging capability. This was the first test of an integrated
flight power subsystem of this size consisting of an amorphous
Figure 4. Battery and PCDU. Installed on the
silicon solar array, a Li-Ion polymer battery stack, and power
underside of the airship.
management and distribution electronics.
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D. Propulsion Subsystem
The HALE-D propulsion subsystem consists of two
propulsion units located on the ship centerline on the
starboard and port sides. Each unit utilizes a 2 kW brushless
DC electric motor and associated motor controller to drive a
two-bladed propeller, and is controlled by onboard flight
computers. HALE-Ds propulsion subsystem is optimized
in terms of steady-state and peak static thrust across the
large range of operating conditions (air density,
temperature, and airspeed) and other requirements (long
endurance, low weight, high efficiency, etc.). The
subsystem is designed to operate reliably in the cold harsh
environment of high altitude. A prototype propulsion motor
and controller were tested successfully in the thermalaltitude chamber at Lockheed Martin in Akron, Ohio before
completion and similar testing of the flight units. A
prototype propulsion motor is shown in Fig. 5. The port
propulsion unit as installed on the airship is shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 5. Prototype Electric Propulsion Motor.

E. Other Subsystems
Other subsystems in the HALE-D airship system include
the vehicle management subsystem (VMS), equipment
bays, pressurization subsystem, payload bay, and trim
subsystem.
The highly reliable VMS allows control of the air
vehicle, performs all housekeeping, monitors all flight
control systems and subsystem sensors during operation,
reports status, and provides voltage conversion and
Figure 6. Port Propulsion Unit. Installed on the
switched low-voltage power to all hardware components
airship inside the Akron Airdock.
requiring on/off control. The VMS monitors airship health
and status using numerous sensors distributed around the
airship. Some of the variables being monitored in many subsystems are: currents, voltages, temperatures, and
differential and absolute pressures. The VMS also provides images from five cameras mounted on the airship.
To maintain the necessary structural rigidity of the envelope and fins, a minimum differential pressure must be
maintained during all phases of operation. This non-flaccid design and concept of operations allows for the
installation and proper operation of large payloads and airship subsystems necessary for station keeping and long
endurance. The differential pressure must also be controlled below a maximum design value to avoid excessive
fabric stresses in changing environmental conditions. These functions are performed by the pressurization
subsystem. Components of the pressurization subsystem include blowers, air valves and helium valves. The
pressurization subsystem also provides a means of inflating the airship during assembly.
The HALE-D trim system is used for pitch control during flight operations at
altitude. Its unique design is based on pumping fluid between tanks located near
the airship nose and tail. The fluid was specifically chosen for its flow
characteristics at low temperatures as well as for safety concerns in the unlikely
event of a spill.
The HALE-D airship also carries equipment bays and one payload bay. The
equipment bays house VMS electronics, and the payload bay houses customerfurnished payload equipment. A dedicated payload bay (Fig. 7) provides
operational flexibility to easily and quickly exchange payloads for different
missions. The equipment and payload bays are mounted on the hull exterior via
attachment tubes tied to the integral lacing strips of the hull. Lacing strips
Figure 7. Payload Bay.
extend beyond the nominal bay locations to allow for repositioning of the
Installed under the airship hull.
equipment bays to balance the airship before flight. The temperature and
pressure in the equipment bays were controlled to allow commercial equipment to operate without special
modifications.
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The HALE-D uses position and anti-collision lights compatible with the low temperatures and pressures
associated with high altitude flight. The lights, located around the airship, use LED-based units that offer low power
consumption and long life.
F. Payload
For the HALE-D flight, a payload suite consisting of a communications relay, a high-resolution camera
system, and a Mini Common Data Link was selected by USASMDC/ARSTRAT. The Payload Integration
Laboratory (PIL) was utilized for stand-alone ground testing of the payload suite before integration onto the
airship. The PIL was a Government-owned, Contractor-operated laboratory. Its objective was to model payloads
to support military utility assessment and perform payload integration, control, and data analysis.

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III. HALE-D Integration and Ground Testing

Where size and geometry permitted, HALE-D subsystems were tested inside altitude chambers to validate
their operation in the intended pressure and temperature environment and minimize the risk of in-flight issues.
The availability of multiple chambers at the Lockheed Martin Akron and Denver facilities was invaluable in
allowing the team to perform the required tests under a demanding schedule. Select electronic components were
also tested to assess their vulnerability to single-event effects in the upper atmosphere environment. The
extensive ground testing allowed the team to identify and correct potential issues before the subsystems were
accepted for integration onto the airship. Parallel testing of the BLOS and LOS communications systems on a
commercial airship from both the fixed and mobile FOC allowed optimization of communications hardware and
software before final integration onto the airship and the FOCs.
After subsystems passed their stand-alone tests, they were integrated with the flight computers and were tested
extensively in the Lockheed Martin System Integration Laboratory (SIL). Subsystems were added to the test setup, incrementally increasing the level of integrated testing. All of the VMS equipment bays and electronics
enclosures containing all flight control components were
tested in an integrated manner with flight subsystems
(propulsion, pressurization, lighting, communications,
trim, etc.) inside the altitude chamber.
The final inflation, integration, and functional tests of
the HALE-D were conducted in the 1164-ft long, 180-ft
high Airdock in Akron, Ohio. The hull was inflated in
June 2009 and remained inflated thereafter. The
previously tested subsystems and payload suite were
integrated onto the airship structure before System
Verification Testing and Flight Readiness Review.
The pre-launch test regimen included several systemlevel tests that were performed once the full system was
assembled. The installed BLOS communications systems
were tested by moving the airship outside the Airdock so
that it would have clear view of the satellites (Fig. 8).
Figure 8. Test of BLOS Communications Systems.
The installed power subsystem was also tested by
moving the airship outside the Airdock so that the solar
array would be exposed to the sun (Fig. 9). Both systemlevel tests were successful; the subsystems performed as
expected and no issues were identified.
A high-fidelity pilot simulation was used extensively
by the HALE-D pilot crew to train in the operation of the
system. The simulation is based on a real-time 6-DOF
simulation, multiple functionally-identical replicas of the
actual FOCs, and identical surrogates of the flight
computers, all running the flight software code. Pilot
inputs in the FOC are transmitted to the flight computers
that also receive simulated sensor inputs from the 6-DOF
Figure 9. HALE-D Undergoing End-to-End Test of
simulation. The software in the flight computers act
the Solar Regenerative Power System.
accordingly and the information is transmitted back to
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the FOCs where the airship status is displayed. In addition to supporting pilot training, this simulation tool was
used to improve and refine both the flight software and the flight procedures.
System integration was completed successfully and regulatory approvals for flight testing (Airworthiness Release
by U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) and Certificate of Authorization by the FAA)
were obtained on 26 July 2011. The inherently benign nature of lighter-than-air (LTA) system flight, the
redundancies of safety-related and C2 subsystems on the HALE-D, detailed contingency procedures, and the
professionalism, close coordination with, and cooperation of AATD and the Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control
Center (ARTCC; ZOB) were instrumental in obtaining approval to operate the HALE-D UAS in the National
Airspace System (NAS) outside of special use/restricted areas.

The HALE-D flight demonstration was initiated and completed on 27 July 2011. Weather forecasts and trajectory
simulations validated that conditions were appropriate for launch and ascent. A meteorologist experienced in LTA
system operations supported the pre-flight and flight operations. Radiosondes were released to verify the forecast wind
conditions. The comparison of the forecast wind speed and direction with the radiosonde data is shown in Fig. 10.
80

360
Wind Direct ion (deg)

WRF
GFS
Radiosonde

70

Wind Speed (knot)

60
50
40
30
20

WRF: Weather Research & Forecasting Model

GFS: Global Forecast System

10
0

315
270
225
180
135
90
45
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

WRF
GFS
Radiosonde
10

WRF: Weather Research & Forecasting Model

GFS: Global Forecast System

20

Altitude (kft)

30

40

50

60

70

Altitude (kft)

360 10. Comparison of Forecast Wind Profiles with Radiosonde Data.

Figure
315

All
the subsystems were verified to be ready for launch and the airship was pulled out of the Akron Airdock around
270
4:30 am under calm ground wind conditions. In close coordination with the FAA Cleveland ARTCC, the airship was
225
released
for launch at the start of civil twilight, shortly before 6 a.m. The launch was flawless; the airship pitched up as
designed
(Fig. 11), flew over the Airdock, and cleared the Canton-Akron (CAK) airport airspace before 6 a.m. The
180
airship
continued
ascending as planned until it
135
reached approximately 25 kft altitude.
It90 was WRF
then observed at the FOCs that the
GFS began
45
ascent
rate
decreasing significantly.
Radiosonde
Attempts
to affect this ascent rate decrease were
0
0
10
40
50
70
not successful.
Due 20to the 30slow ascent
rate
the 60
Altitude (kft)
airship spent more time than planned in an altitude
regime where its limited propulsion capabilities
could not overcome the prevailing winds. As a
result, the airship drifted towards the edges of the
pre-approved ascent corridor. When the program
team concluded that the airship would ultimately
transit outside this designated operating zone, the
decision was made to terminate the flight.
Figure 11. HALE-D Beginning its Ascent on 27 July 2011.
The FAA Cleveland ARTCC was notified per
pre-approved procedures, and the team prepared to execute flight termination. The team waited until the real-time
trajectory prediction models running in the FOCs showed that the airship would land in a very remote non-populated
area. The Government Flight Director issued the flight termination command, and the termination sequence was
initiated by the remote pilots and flight engineers. HALE-D reached an altitude of approximately 32,600 ft, a record for
a non-flaccidly launched airship. As helium escaped the airship envelope, HALE-D started descending slowly, and
Wind Direction (deg)

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IV. HALE-D Flight Test

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Altitude (kft MS L)

forty minutes later it landed on treetops in a very remote wooded area in southwestern Pennsylvania. The altitude
versus time profile of the HALE-D flight is shown in Fig. 12.
The HALE-D ground crew that had earlier launched
the airship reached the landing area shortly after the
40
35
airship landed and began securing the area and
30
assessing the situation. The airships power subsystem
25
continued working normally and all airship data was
20
being received at the Airdock FOC in Akron through
Termination
15
the BLOS communications system. The solar array
10
continued to charge the battery, and all systems
5
appeared to operate normally. Power and
0
20
0
20
40
60
80 100 120 140 160 180
communications continued overnight, as the airships
Flight Time (min)
battery was providing power to all subsystems. The
next morning the ground team physically disconnected
Figure 12. Altitude Versus Time Profile of HALE-D
the power subsystem and started removing subsystems
Flight.
from underneath the airship as it rested at treetop level.
The following day (29 July 2011), after most of the subsystems had been removed and crews were clearing the last
few trees beneath the airship, a fire started that ultimately consumed most of the airship envelope and the solar array,
but with no other damage and no personnel injuries. The cause of the fire has been attributed to a persistent short in
the still-operating deformed solar array or in broken power cables.
Post-flight analysis of the stored real-time data and physical signs at the airship landing site indicate that the
cause of the decelerated ascent (that necessitated the flight termination) was a restriction in the pressurization
subsystem air valve. This was caused by ice accumulation which effectively reduced the outward flow of air from
the airship envelope. The water vapor inside the hull froze at altitude and rather than exiting the valve as fine
powder as expected, it collected within the air valve. This condition can be resolved for future flights in various
ways, including design modifications, redundancies, and concepts of operation.
During the flight, numerous key technologies were demonstrated:
Airship advanced materials
Airship structural design
Solar-based regenerative power system
Launch & control of the airship
Communications links
Unique trim system
Remote piloting and C2
In-flight operations
Operational models
Flight termination systems
Equally important was the demonstration that an LTA UAS can be operated safely in the NAS, even in the event
of a contingency. As expected, the inherently benign nature of LTA system flight, the prudent design and detailed
procedures, and the close coordination with the FAA and local authorities mitigate the risks of LTA UAS flights.

V. Plans of HAATM Program

The HAATM team continues to advance high altitude LTA capabilities by implementing lessons learned from the
HALE-D development and flight testing, leveraging the key technology successes, maturing subsystem designs,
expanding operational models, advancing pilot interfaces and simulation, and pursuing science & technology (S&T)
efforts needed to support the development of the next-generation HAAs.

VI. Conclusion
The first-of-a-kind HALE-D system was developed successfully with a constrained budget using state-of-the-art
technologies. Regulatory approvals were received to perform a flight test in the NAS outside restricted areas. The
short flight test validated many of the design aspects of the system and also led to the discovery of an operational
problem that can be easily mitigated in future flights. The flight test gave us no reason to suggest that the HAATM
concept is not feasible; the root cause of the phenomenon that led to the shorter-than-planned flight is well understood
and correctable. The flight test also showed that an LTA UAS can be operated safely in the NAS, even in the event of
a contingency. Though HALE-D did not achieve all its flight test objectives, it remains an important stepping-stone for
8
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the development of future HAATM systems. The overall results reaffirm the operational feasibility of the HAATM
concept as an affordable, extreme endurance, mission-capable element of airborne ISR and other architectures.

Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the government and contractor HAATM team members for their dedication, hard work,
and support. The authors acknowledge the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD), the FAA,
the Cleveland Air Traffic Control Center (ZOB), and City, County and State safety forces for their excellent support,
professionalism, and cooperation that enabled the safe conduct of the HALE-D flight test. The authors also
acknowledge the USAF and Army G-2 for their financial support of the project.

References

Downloaded by UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA on May 9, 2013 | http://arc.aiaa.org | DOI: 10.2514/6.2013-1362

Lee, M., Smith, S., and Androulakakis, S., High Altitude Lighter Than Airship Efforts at the US Army Space and Missile
Defense Command / Army Forces Strategic Command, 18th AIAA Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technology Conference, Seattle
Washington, 4-7 May, 2009.

9
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release; distribution unlimited Public Release #3031
CopyrightPlans
2013 byof
Lockheed
Corporation.
Published(HAA)
by the American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission.
High Martin
Altitude
Airship
Program

4 March 2013 Status and