The U.S. Navy MZ-3A manned airship lifts off from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., for an orientation flight Nov. 6, 2013. The MZ-3A, assigned to Scientific Development Squadron (VXS) 1 of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Military Support Division, is an advanced flying laboratory used to evaluate affordable sensor payloads and provide support for related naval research projects.