Development and deployment of lighter-than-air systems for lifting, transport and rescue
CL CargoLifter GmbH & Co. KGaA
14057 BerlinNew on Amplifa
About CargoLifter
CL CargoLifter GmbH & Co. KGaA, based in Berlin, develops and operates systems based on lighter-than-air (LTA) technology. The portfolio includes the balloon crane CL BCS-1 with a 13.4 m balloon diameter and 1 t payload, approved for both hydrogen and helium, the modular rescue system AirKules for disaster relief (AirCrane, AirBridge, AirRescue, AirHook; payload up to 350 kg, larger version 1,000 kg) as well as VisiBall for live visualization of planned wind turbines up to 145 m height. In addition, the company offers consulting on heavy-lift hoisting and transport tasks where conventional crane or transport solutions reach their limits, as well as the LeviShip airship concept for transport to remote areas. The company traces back to the CargoLifter AG founded in 1996, which was re-established in 2005 by former shareholders after the 2002 insolvency. Customers come from plant and mechanical engineering, logistics, disaster relief and wind energy; the first customer of the AirKules is the Humanitarian Logistics Organisation e.V. (HLO).
- Site
- Berlin
- Processes
- Heavy-lift hoisting and transport using lighter-than-air technology (balloon crane/airship), Consulting on advanced logistics solutions (analysis, feasibility assessment of LTA technology,, AirKules – modular rescue system (AirCrane, AirBridge, AirRescue, AirHook) with gas balloon,, CL BCS-1 balloon crane – precise lifting, moving and setting down of loads with 13.4 m balloon, for, VisiBall – balloon visualization of wind turbines at planned hub height incl. photo montages,, Load exchange process (cargo for ballast water at the hovering airship/balloon, tested with the, Balloon crane systems for lifting and transporting heavy loads (CL BCS-1, payload 1 t, H2/He, AirKules rescue system for disaster relief (AirCrane, AirBridge, AirRescue, AirHook)
- Materials
- Helium, Hydrogen, Composite pressure vessels for lifting gas supply, Composite Pressure Vessels
- Founded
- 1996 (Carg
- Industries
- Plant and mechanical engineering (heavy-lift transport), Logistics, Disaster relief/Humanitarian aid, Wind energy/Renewable energies, Tourism (airship concepts)
- 01
Requirements analysis of the lifting/transport task
- 02
Feasibility assessment of LTA technology
- 03
System concept and cost estimate
- 04
Development and construction of the system
- 05
Testing and trials
- 06
Approvals and certification
- 07
Deployment and operation at the customer
Lifting Gases and Materials
Helium
Lifting gas for balloon crane and AirKules when the available gas infrastructure or approval requirements so demand.
Hydrogen
Approved alternative lifting gas for CL BCS-1 and AirKules that improves operating costs and helium availability.
Composite Pressure Vessels
Composite pressure vessels for the portable lifting gas supply of the AirKules system.
Locations
Berlin
DECompany headquarters, development and operation of the LTA systems
- Materials
- Helium, Hydrogen
- Balloon crane CL BCS-1 (13.4 m diameter, 1 t payload)
- VisiBall visualization system (8 m balloon, up to 145 m height)
- AirKules test system with electric drives and portable winches
- Balloon crane test system BKS (based on Aéro30NG)
Systems and Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy-lift hoisting and transport using lighter-than-air technology (balloon crane/airship)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Helium, Hydrogen |
| Consulting on advanced logistics solutions (analysis, feasibility assessment of LTA technology,Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| AirKules – modular rescue system (AirCrane, AirBridge, AirRescue, AirHook) with gas balloon,Engineering | – | 20 km (short-range flight) × 200 m (AirHook positioning) | 350 kg (max. payload, larger version | – | Helium, Hydrogen |
| CL BCS-1 balloon crane – precise lifting, moving and setting down of loads with 13.4 m balloon, forEngineering | – | – | 1 tonne payload | – | Helium, Hydrogen |
| VisiBall – balloon visualization of wind turbines at planned hub height incl. photo montages,Engineering | – | 145 m (up to 145 meters, more on | – | – | Hydrogen |
| Load exchange process (cargo for ballast water at the hovering airship/balloon, tested with theEngineering | – | – | – | – | Helium |
9 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balloon crane CL BCS-1 (balloon crane system, 13.4 m diameter, 1 t payload) | CL CargoLifter / Ballonbau Wörner BCS-1 | 1 | – | – | Berlin |
| AirKules test system with two electric drives and portable winches | CL CargoLifter AirKules | 1 | – | – | – |
| VisiBall visualization system (8 m balloon, ascent up to 145 m, anchored with ground anchors) | CL CargoLifter VisiBall | 1 | Open area 30 m diameter, height up to 145 m | – | Berlin |
| Balloon crane test system (based on: Aéro30NG) | CL CargoLifter BKS | – | – | – | – |
| Load balloon CL75 AirCrane (61 m diameter, 87 m height, 110,000 m³ helium, historic 2001/2002, at | CargoLifter AG / Load frame: AdvanTek International LLC CL75 | 1 | – | 2001 | Brand (CargoLifter hangar) |
| Test airship Joey (prototype, never built in series) | CargoLifter AG Joey | 1 | – | – | – |
| Training/training airship Skyship 600B ("Charly") | Skyship 600B | 1 | – | – | CargoLifter hangar, Brand |
| Airship hangar (360 m long, 210–220 m wide, 106–107 m high, largest free-standing building in the | – | 1 | 360 m × 210 m × 107 m | 2000 | Brand-Briesen, Brandenburg |
| Planned cargo airship CL160 (semi-rigid keel airship, 550,000 m³, 160 t payload, never | CargoLifter AG CL-160 | 0 | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 1994
VDMA market analysis of heavy-lift transports in the plant engineering industry as the origin of the business idea
- 1996
Founding of CargoLifter AG on 1.9.1996 in Wiesbaden with 93 founding shareholders; Carl-Heinrich von Gablenz as CEO
- 1998
Groundbreaking for the airship shipyard in Brand; presentation of the Joey airship at the Leipzig logistics trade fair
- 2000
Completion of the airship hangar in Brand (360 m long, 210 m wide, 107 m high – the largest free-standing building in the world); IPO in May
- 2001
First hangar exit of the CL 75 AirCrane balloon (61 m diameter, 110,000 m³ helium); load exchange demonstration including with the 55-t mine-clearing tank Keiler
- 2002
Insolvency of CargoLifter AG; destruction of the CL 75 in a storm; cooperation study with Boeing on a stratospheric platform
- 2003
Sale of the facilities from the insolvency estate; the hangar becomes the Tropical Islands Resort in 2004
- 2005
Re-establishment as CL CargoLifter GmbH & Co. KGaA in Berlin by former shareholders
- 2014
20 years of CargoLifter – CargoLifter story in the LifterNews Spezial
- 2022
Publication of the book "Vom CargoLifter zum LeviShip" (LeviCraft GmbH, Berlin)
- 2026
New website online; 15th Lighter-than-Air Day in Stuttgart; HLO fundraising campaigns for AirKules