Abstract: The new type tandem buoyancy-lifting airship, based onthe NACA aerofoil, not only possesses considerable volume efficiency, butalso the aerodynamic efficiency. In order to improve its aerodynamicefficiency farther, the optimum design for aerodynamic configuration oftandem airship is executed with the response surface methodology. Adoptingthe uniform experimental design method, taking the sweepback tandem airshipas the basic configuration, axis and normal coordinate of back wing as thedesign variable, lift, drag and lift-drag ratio as the objective function,the second-order response surface optimization model of aerodynamicparameter has been constructed via CFD and response surface approximationtheory. With the presented method, the optimization design is applied tolift-drag characteristic of tandem airship. The results indicate that theresponse surface methodology is effective, feasible and applicable foraerodynamic optimum design.