Lockheed Martin has partnered with sales firm Hybrid Enterprises to market its LMH1 hybrid airship

US Federal Aviation Administration this week approved a certification plan for the $40 million vehicle

Lockheed says airship can transport heavy cargo to remote locations while burning significantly less fuel 

The airship can eventually be scaled to roughly the size of a football field with 500 tons of capacity

Lockheed Martin has been given the green light to build its radical hybrid airship that will launch in 2018.

The US Federal Aviation Administration has this week approved a certification plan developed by the company, taking it one step closer to starting commercial deliveries.

Lockheed says the airships can transport heavy cargo to remote locations, burn significantly less fuel than conventional aircraft and land on any flat surface, including sand, snow and water.