The first NOVA-01 test cycle has been completed
More about the airships.
With the end of summer, the first test cycle of the NOVA-01 craft has been completed.
All work was completed in full:
• The onboard control system is operating reliably
• Remote piloting is operational
• The dispatching system has been integrated with the onboard autopilot
• All data have been collected for the dynamic model of NOVA-2
• The weathervaning procedure around a low mooring point has been validated
According to plan, the craft was next to undergo a deep upgrade to increase automation: robotic parking dollies and much more. This will be implemented in the NOVA-2 airship.
This past Saturday brought unusual weather conditions that allowed us to test the craft in winds well beyond the design envelope. We decided to test the craft under these conditions.
*For reference: Minor damage was acceptable: during the upgrade, most of the load-bearing structures were slated for replacement
The timing coincided with the arrival of guests.
As soon as the craft was taken out of the hangar, gusts immediately caught it and lifted it into the air. The ground crew stabilized the craft, moved it further into the airfield, then the operator took the vehicle aloft.
*For reference: When operating an airship, the most dangerous position is being near the hangar, where winds behave unpredictably due to vortices around massive structures.
The craft was flying over the airfield in front of a group of guests. Everything was proceeding normally…
But…
The remote pilot made a mistake—let his guard down and came too close to the hangar, and the craft started being pulled toward it.
An attempt to climb and steer the craft away from the hangar led to a change in pitch and speed due to entering a rotor (vortex) shed from the hangar.
During the landing attempt, it slammed into the ground—the frame securing the gondola to the craft broke, cutting the envelope in the ballonet area, and, having lost its payload together with the landing gear strut, the airship rose into the sky.
We activated the emergency flight termination system, venting part of the gas. We landed the craft in a safe location.
It is worth noting that testing is an integral part of our work, and situations like this give us the opportunity to uncover shortcomings, gain invaluable experience, and refine the technology. NOVA-01 was built for this purpose and has fulfilled it.
Among valuable components, only the envelope and the propellers were damaged.
All systems, actuators, controllers, etc., remained intact.
Will we restore the NOVA-01 envelope, or will we conduct the second test cycle on a new hybrid airship of the same size? We will share the decision soon—stay tuned.
*The translation is done with the help of artificial intelligence.