The Aeroscraft Corporation has revealed a milestone in the development of the world’s first vertical takeoff and landing heavy-lift cargo airship.

Following the engineering scale down prototype phase of the program, the company team is entering the design freeze phase for the 66-ton cargo airship.

Aeros is currently developing main component and test components for the patented buoyancy management system known as COSH, or control-of-static-heaviness, as well as structural components for the operational Aeroscraft.

“We are excited to reveal production is underway on the airship,” said Igor Pasternak, CEO of Aeroscraft Corporation. “We are committed to achieving FAA operational certification for the first deployable Aeroscraft in approximately five years.”

The advanced aircraft now taking shape is unique in terms of its capabilities, size, cargo handling, and propulsion, according to the company. COSH is Aeroscraft’s proprietary internal buoyancy management technology, which was successfully demonstrated in 2013 as part of a U.S. Department of Defense project.

The Aeroscraft is a new heavy-lift, variable-buoyancy cargo airship featuring an onboard buoyancy management system, rigid structure, vertical takeoff and landing performance, and operational abilities at low speed, in hover, and from unprepared surfaces.  The patented COSH technology permits airships to efficiently address global cargo/logistics applications for the first time.

Aeroscraft is planning to complete the configuration design for the airship by the end of 2015.