HomeScience & EnvironmentMassive airship could shake...

Massive airship could shake up cargo transport

French startup Flying Whales is on a mission to transform cargo transport with its ambitious Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (LCA60T) project. This colossal helium-filled airship, measuring 656 feet in length, aims to connect population centers with remote, inaccessible areas by moving important goods and materials without touching the ground.

Stay protected & informed! Get security alerts & expert tech tips—sign up for Kurt’s The CyberGuy Report now.

Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (Flying Whales) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The airship’s technology by the numbers

The LCA60T features a cargo capacity of up to 132,000 pounds, surpassing an Airbus Beluga XL. The airship’s helium volume reaches 6.3 million cubic feet, enabling it to reach a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet. Propelled by 32 electric propeller drives with a combined 5,360 horsepower, the LCA60T can achieve a top speed of 63 mph. The LCA60T incorporates several cutting-edge design elements. Its skeletal frame features a composite beam lattice construction with metal joints. The airship contains 14 non-pressurized helium cells, equipped with advanced sensor systems. The 315-foot-long cargo hold is a structural compartment with dual sliding doors. A specially developed Diatex ultralight polyester textile serves as the outer skin.

Massive airship could shake up cargo transport

Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (Flying Whales) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

SOLAR-POWERED BLIMP COULD BRING HIGH-SPEED INTERNET TO YOUR AREA

Powering the future

Initially, the LCA60T will use a combination of high-voltage lithium-ion batteries and turbine generators. However, Flying Whales plans to transition to hydrogen fuel cell power generation to reduce emissions and make it a more sustainable option.

Massive airship could shake up cargo transport

Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (Flying Whales) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

IS THIS 656-FOOT AIRYACHT THE LUXURY TRANSPORTATION OF THE FUTURE?

Partnerships and progress

Flying Whales has formed strategic partnerships to bring its vision to life. Evolito is supplying 32 D250 electric motors, each producing 308 horsepower, for propulsion. The company has already raised more than $300 million in public and private funding and began wind tunnel testing of its outer skin material in late January 2025.

Massive airship could shake up cargo transport

Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (Flying Whales) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

SOLAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT ACHIEVES GROUNDBREAKING 22-HOUR AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT

Potential applications

The LCA60T’s versatility opens up numerous possibilities. It can extract renewable wood from remote logging sites and supply materials for energy construction projects. The airship can also provide humanitarian aid, deliver cargo containers from land or ship and deploy temporary modular hospitals in underserved areas.

SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES

Massive airship could shake up cargo transport

Large Capacity Airship 60 Tonne (Flying Whales) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Flying Whales’ LCA60T represents a bold vision for the future of cargo transport. While the project faces significant technical and economic challenges, its potential to revolutionize logistics and connect isolated regions is undeniable. As the company progresses towards its 2027 flight testing goal, the world will be watching to see if this modern airship can truly take flight and usher in a new era of sustainable, accessible transportation.

Do you believe governments and private companies should prioritize funding airship technology over other sustainable transportation solutions? Why or why not? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:

New from Kurt:

Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Source link

Most Popular

More from Author

Read Now

Top 10 busiest airports in the world: Delhi’s IGI airport ranks 9th; check list

New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has been ranked the ninth busiest airport in the world, handling more than 7.78 crore passengers in 2024, according to a report released by Airports Council International (ACI) on Tuesday.This marks an improvement from last year, when the...

How I almost fell for a Microsoft 365 Calendar invite scam

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! There’s a new phishing scam that’s sneaking past inbox filters in unexpected ways. Instead of sending suspicious links or obvious malware, this one uses something most people trust: calendar invites. Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being...

Sean “Diddy” Combs gets standing ovation in prison after court victory, his lawyer says

Sean "Diddy" Combs got a standing ovation from fellow inmates when the music mogul returned to jail after being acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering in his federal trial in New York, providing what his lawyer says might have been the best thing...

Trump threatens extra 10% tariff on nations that side with Brics

Osmond Chia & Dearbail JordanBusiness reporters, BBC NewsReporting fromSingapore & London Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump has warned that countries which side with the policies of the Brics alliance that go against US interests will be hit with an extra 10% tariff."Any country aligning themselves with the...

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ | Anatomy of a Scene

“Hi, My name is Gareth Edwards and I am the director of “Jurassic World Rebirth.” So right now we’re with a family who have kind of been shipwrecked on this island with our team of experts. and essentially trying to get across the island to get rescued,...

Underwater archaeologist James Delgado reveals the stories behind history’s most haunting shipwrecks

Renowned underwater archaeologist James Delgado appeared on "CBS Mornings" on Friday to discuss his new book, "The Great Museum of the Sea," and reflect on more than 50 years of searching for historic shipwrecks around the world.Delgado, who has investigated more than 100...

Monsoon rains, flash floods claim over 70 lives across Pakistan in 10 days

161 houses damaged, 91 livestock swept away in rains, floods.NDMA conducted 19 operations, rescued 233 persons.NEOC issues alert regarding...

Fast-casual restaurants lean on loyalty programs amid consumer pullback

A customer exits a Cava restaurant in New York City on June 22, 2023.Brendan McDermid | ReutersAs some consumers pull back on spending amid economic uncertainty, fast-casual restaurant chains are leaning on rewards programs to pull them back in.Loyalty programs, which offer discounts or added perks for...

Kim Kardashian say she feels ‘empty’ in tribute to childhood friend who died from cancer

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines...