What are Airships?

Nov. 8, 2024

Recently, a few companies have attempted to control the buoyancy of airships — a longstanding challenge that has prevented their use for cargo transportation.

About Airships:

Airships are lighter-than-air, vertical-lift vehicles that achieve flight by using buoyant gasses that are less dense than surrounding air.
There are three main types of airships: non-rigid (or blimps), semi-rigid and rigid.
Typically, these bullet-shaped craft are filled with helium or hydrogen, and composed of three main parts: a balloon-like hull, a gondola and a propulsion system.
Airships were the first aircraft capable of controlled powered flight and were thought to be the future of travel for some years in the early 20th century.

How airships work?

Airships are lighter-than-air aircraft that are lifted by gas with a density lower than atmospheric gases. This principle also operates in helium balloons.
Early airships used hydrogen as the lifting gas since it was cheap, easy to produce, and the lightest existing gas. But hydrogen was also extremely flammable.
Most modern airships use helium, which is non-combustible.
Uses: They see limited use today as advertising platforms, for aerial observation by scientists and militaries, and in the tourism industry.
Advantages: Airships are significantly less polluting than aeroplanes as they do not burn fossil fuels to achieve lift. They can also reach more places than ships or trucks.