The Airlander, a hybrid between an airplane, airship and helicopter, is the world's largest aircraft and was launched for the first time Friday.

According to British publication The Independent, Hybrid Air Vehicles, a British aircraft manufacturer and Airlander creator, could produce up to 1,000 more Airlanders in the next decade that would be used to respond to international disasters.

Initially, the U.S. Army had ownership of the aircraft, which would have been used for surveillance missions in Afghanistan, but after spending cuts to the defense budget, the project was scrapped and taken over by HAV.

The Airlander is the prototype to the future HAV aircrafts. The Cardington Hangers near Bedford, England is the only location large enough to store the 302-foot aircraft that is capable of landing on sea and can remain airborne for up to three weeks unmanned.

Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden lead singer and professional pilot, co-funded the £30 million aircraft and said Airlander's technology is a historic day for aviation.

"The sheer imagination and scale of it," Dickinson said. "...Rarely do you get the chance to be involved in something really at the cutting edge of aviation. We have created the world's largest aircraft from a shed in Bedford. It is something to be incredibly proud of."

Dickinson said he was inspired to fund the project in 2005 after meeting HAV's founder Roger Munk, who died in 2010 at the age of 62.

"I had no idea I was ever going to see my money again, but everyone busted a gut and it's brilliant to show it off to people today," the rock star said. "In about five years' time we could have a sustainable form of aviation -- much cleaner and greener."

To compare, the Airlander is rougly 30 feet longer than the largest aircraft, Antonov An-225, and 60 feet longer than Airbus A380 and Boing 747-8, which were the largest airliners in the world.

HAV said the Airlander is just a prototype, and that this time next year it plans on completing the 50 ton heavy lift hybrid vehicle Airlander 50.

The current Airlander weighs in at 38 tons, while typical airships range between seven and eight tons, Airlander chief test pilot Dave Burns said.

"The sheer mass of it makes it different to an airship," he continued. "... Airships are like piloting an aircraft carrier in rough seas but this is very steady. It's a majestic machine."

The British government gave HAV a £2.5 million fund to research energy efficient and quieter planes because of the company's prospects of leading the world in the industry.

Related