Kelluu, a developer of autonomous, hydrogen-powered airships has advanced to the final phase of Project G.I., a technology initiative led by the U.S. Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).
Project G.I. is an initiative launched by DIU to rapidly field and scale commercial autonomous technologies and uncrewed systems for the US military. Instead of following traditional procurement cycles, it uses a prize challenge format to test cutting-edge systems against real-world battlefield problems, aiming to equip tactical units with adaptable technologies.
As part of this final evaluation stage, Kelluu’s airships will participate in a series of operational test events in Alaska. The upcoming trials will allow DIU and the Department of War to evaluate the capabilities of Kelluu’s lighter-than-air platform under real-world Arctic weather and environmental conditions.
Validating Autonomous Airships in Extreme Environments
Project G.I. focuses on identifying and assessing commercial autonomous systems that can support defense and security needs. Advancing to this final phase allows Kelluu to demonstrate its platform’s reliability, endurance, and operational readiness in one of the most challenging climates on Earth.
The Alaska test events will specifically evaluate the airships' performance across several critical parameters. Evaluators will assess the platform's cold-weather resilience, focusing on flight stability and battery/hydrogen efficiency in sub-zero Arctic environments. Additionally, the trials will test navigation reliability—specifically the platform's ability to maintain precise flight paths and data feeds under challenging operational conditions—while demonstrating the airships' capability to provide extended, low-altitude aerial data collection over long durations.
"Participating in these trials in Alaska is an excellent opportunity to validate our technology alongside the mission partners," said Jiri Jormakka, Kelluu's Head of Sales and co-founder. "Our systems were built to handle demanding northern climates, and these tests will provide invaluable data as we continue to refine our airships for global defense and environmental monitoring applications."