LTA is an aerospace research and development company focused on building and flying the next generation of airships. We aim to redefine air travel and transportation with our innovative lighter-than-air technology.

LTA has locations in the U.S. with strong ties to airship and aviation history. Our offices are in Akron, Ohio; Mountain View, California; Sunnyvale, California; and Gardnerville, Nevada.

At LTA, we are on a mission to transform aviation with next-generation airships. By combining modern technology and materials with manufacturing advances, we are building and flying airships that are more capable than ever before.

Our vision is to shape the future of aviation through innovative lighter-than-air technology. We are redefining air travel and transportation to be more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable.

Brett Crozier is the CEO of LTA Research. He leads the team building and flying the next generation of airships.

Pathfinder 1 is LTA’s proof-of-concept rigid airship that demonstrates the novel design, engineering, and manufacturing that will bring a new generation of airships to flight. Pathfinder 1 is the first step in showing that our lighter-than-air technology is efficient, sustainable, and adaptable. Explore Pathfinder 1.

Pathfinder 1 is LTA’s proof-of-concept vehicle. Not only does the airship demonstrate that lighter-than-air aviation is safe and reliable, but it is also designed to rigorously test and validate the flight performance and capabilities of our modern airship technology.

Pathfinder 1 is currently the largest aircraft in the world at 406.5 feet (124 meters) long and 66 feet wide.

Pathfinder 1 is a plain white rigid airship with no external markings or text on its envelope, an LTA logo on the gondola, and U.S. flags on its fins.

At LTA, we continue to expand our operational flight area across a broader region. These flights allow LTA’s crew to train on Pathfinder 1’s systems and operations while demonstrating our airship’s capabilities through longer, higher altitude, and more varied flight conditions.

Flight training is a critical part of operating modern airships. Our systematic approach is aligned with rigorous aerospace standards and will inform the future of the Pathfinder series.

LTA Research built Pathfinder 1 using proven design principles, modern materials, and patented engineering to create a more reliable and capable airship.

Pathfinder 1 uses non-flammable helium for lift, with lidar sensors that accurately measure gas volume in real time. The rigid airship gets its structure from carbon fiber and titanium, using aerospace-grade materials that meet or exceed modern safety standards.

Yes. The FAA granted Pathfinder 1 a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the experimental category for the purposes of research and development, exhibition, and market survey.

Flight testing is an extensive and ongoing process designed to assess and validate the operations and flight systems. Through our flight training program, we are able to demonstrate our airship’s capabilities by flying farther, for longer periods, and at higher altitudes in different conditions. Our systematic approach is aligned with aerospace standards, and provides data that will inform the development of the Pathfinder series in Akron, Ohio. Explore Pathfinder 1.

​​​​LTA will continue to conduct flight testing for Pathfinder 1 from our home base at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, CA. Our flight testing and training areas include the greater San Francisco Bay Area and other geographic regions in California.

At LTA, we have rigorous measures in place throughout our flight testing program to not only ensure the safety of the flight crew and the airship but also to properly follow all applicable procedures, regulations, and safeguards.

Pathfinder 1 is designed to have a range of approximately 2,500 miles and is currently permitted to fly at altitudes of up to 1,500 feet.

The Pathfinder 1 gondola is designed to carry up to 14.

The term “payload” refers to the amount of people or goods an airship can carry. It is calculated by subtracting the weight of the airship from its gross lift, and varies depending on factors like duration of the trip and altitude of the flight. We expect Pathfinder 1’s payload to be between 2,000 kg and 5,000 kg, depending on the final weight of the airship and the individual mission.

No. Pathfinder 1 is a rigid airship that gets its lift from helium and has electric motors for propulsion and directional control.

LTA is building next-generation airships at a scale that has not been attempted for more than 80 years. To build and fly airships that are lighter, safer, and more capable, we have reimagined and redesigned every component, from the engineering and materials to assembly and pilot training.

Pathfinder 1 uses hybrid electric power. The rigid airship gets its propulsion from 12 electric motors that draw power from batteries that can be charged on the ground or during flight using on-board generators.

A rigid airship is built around an internal structure, allowing it to retain its shape even when not filled with a lifting gas like helium. A blimp, on the other hand, has no internal framework and relies on the internal pressure of its lifting gas to maintain its shape, similar to a balloon.

Solar, electric, and hybrid-powered airships have the potential to significantly reduce the cost and resources used in modern aircraft.

LTA has already generated new jobs in California, Nevada, and Akron, Ohio – the birthplace of American airships. By building on this legacy, we believe lighter than air technology will continue to generate new jobs and economic growth in the regions where we are developing, manufacturing, and flying these aircraft.

Our airships will have the ability to complement, and even speed up, humanitarian disaster response and relief efforts, so that many more lives can be saved. Airships do not require aviation infrastructure like airstrips and landing zones, allowing them to deliver food, equipment, supplies, and other life-saving aid to areas impacted by natural disasters.

At LTA Research, we treat helium like the precious resource that it is and keep our helium footprint small by containing and recycling it. We are always looking for new ways to increase our efficiency.

Airships are significantly more efficient than traditional aircraft, using 60% less fuel than passenger airplanes. Because they rely on buoyancy for lift, they require far less energy to stay airborne, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.