lighter-than-air vehicles - Defense Innovation Marketplace

Figure 57: Skybus Shown in Storage 54A formal FAA review occurred on 14August 2008, after which funds wereexhausted. The 80K airship then sat in thehangar, and the program stalled at the end ofSeptember 2008. 14In 2009, Skybus 80K transitioned from theNavy to the Army. Army G-2, withearmarked funding from the House ArmedServices Committee (HASC), was asked towork with the experimental airship. ArmyG-2 requested ARL to run the program. On15 April 2009, the FAA renewed theexperimental certification, and flight testingresumed by September 2009. Flight testingcontinued until July 2010, with the systemcompleting 31 flights and accumulating 80hours of flight time. The program confirmedthe ability of the 80K to take 500 lbs. ofpayload to 10,000 ft. (MSL) with up to 24hours of endurance. 14In August 2010, the 80K system was packedand shipped from the Loring Test Center inMaine to the Yuma Proving Grounds, andefforts have been on-going to get it out ofstorage and into operation as an asset. Anunfunded request (UFR) to continueexperimentation was denied in FY11, so theairship remained in storage. 14Skybus was initiated in FY07 with fundingfrom OSD. In FY09 the Army obtainedownership and began funding the program.Skybus 80K UAS is fully funded for FY12by Army G-2 funds with NAVAIR acting asthe distribution organization and funding isplanned through FY14. The FY12 budgetincludes complete support for inflation,operation, maintenance, infrastructure andpersonnel.60