<
https://freedium.cfd/https://medium.com/enrique-dans/why-airships-are-set-to-make-a-return-to-our-skies-04a12c78e900>
"Airships are hardly an innovation: their golden age was in the second and
third decade of the last century, but footage of the Hindenburg going down in
flames in just 32 seconds and the thirty-five deaths resulting from the
accident on May 6, 1937 has been enough to make anyone think twice before
reimagining this technology for anything other than floating advertising
hoardings.
However, technology has come a long way, and now, the possibility of designing
and building airships that can be used to provide aid in disasters or
functioning as a clean logistical alternative to transporting goods — faster
and cheaper than container ships, for example — is bringing initiatives in this
direction back into view. LTA Research has spent the last two years building a
huge airship that is already licensed to fly, and is currently carrying out
final test flights. The goal is to revolutionize aviation. Other companies,
such as Flying Whales, BASI, Sceye, Hybrid Air Vehicles or Straightline
Aviation are exploring the field from multiple points of view and with very
different approaches.
The question is perfect, in terms of challenge, for the development of an
interesting industry: elements of materials engineering, design, and market
development starting with issues such as humanitarian aid or special transports
such as those needed for wind turbine blades, where costs take a back seat, but
with possibilities of reaching a market with the potential to change logistics.
If airships were used to transport goods instead of the huge, highly polluting
ships used today, journey times could be reduced fourfold, and the cost several
times cheaper, with zero emissions, with less need for onshore infrastructure
and with the ability to reach even the most remote destinations directly. If a
single company of this type were capable of moving half of the goods that today
are transported by ships at a much lower cost, it could reach an annual
turnover of $650 billion."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
