Worldwide Aeros Aerscraft ML 866 “Dragon Dream” is VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft for military and rescue missions.
The Aeroscraft model ML866 is a planned 20-ton lifting capacity rigid airship, to be built by the Worldwide Aeros Corporation. There has also plans for a 60-ton ML868 and a 500-ton ML86X.
Worldwide Aeros Corp is an American aircraft manufacturing company, specializing in the manufacturing of Hybrid airships, and based in Montebello, California. The company’s target market is government rescue missions and military applications. The airships may also be used for cargo companies.
The Aeroscraft uses a combination of aerodynamic and aerostatic principles to remain airborne. Aerostats are so named because they use “aerostatic” lift which is a buoyant force, such as helium gas, that does not require movement through the surrounding air mass, as in aerodynamic aircraft.
Approximately two-thirds of the Aeroscraft’s lift is provided by helium gas. The remaining lift is provided by the forward thrust of the craft’s propellers, in combination with its aerodynamic shape, and its canards (forward fins) and empennage (rear fins).
Working with the horizonal propellers, the Aeroscraft has six downward-pointing turbofan jet engines for vertical take-off and landing. The Aeroscraft also uses Dynamic Buoyancy Management. Helium gas can be pressurized into tanks while taking air from the surrounding atmosphere to lower the lift force of the free helium gas in the vacant space inside the rigid Aeroscraft (for controlled descent). Releasing the compressed helium into the gas bags expanding inside the rigid structure displaces the air and creates lift.
Aeroscraft Video showing concept engineering, fabrication, construction, and civilian applications.
Aeroscraft Cargo Airship operation explained with military applications explained.
Aeros Worldwide history timeline.