Imagine a flying machine that can cruise in the air for three weeks without landing – and does not need a runway when it finally comes back to earth.
It may sound like science fiction, but the Hybrid Air Vehicle – which looks like a traditional airship – can land anywhere and on any surface.
See the video with details from the BBC
If the disaster in Haiti happened after cargo airships were again made available for service in humanitarian relief operations literally thousands of lives could have been saved. This is not a theory, wishful thinking or a pipedream as within hours of the earthquake occuring airships with heavy equipment, rescue teams, medical personnel and materiels could have landed where necessary and saved many from death under the rubble. (more…)
One key goal of the Airship Prize to develop a viable transport airship industry is focused on the potential for the application, renewal and update of the airship transport mode for the safe and effective provision of transportation support and distribution for humanitarian purposes.
Whether reacting to major disasters or providing links to remote or dangerous/disadvantaged communities airship transport shows great potential as a viable solution. Following major disasters requiring humanitarian relief, oftentimes existing transport infrastructure such as roads, bridges and airports are destroyed or damaged rendering them unusable. Airships for Provision of Humanitarian Aid
From ABC WTVG Toledo: “A new company that will build giant airships is getting off the ground here and it could mean hundreds of jobs!The company is called Ohio Airships and it’s built a prototype of what’s called a Dynalifter aircraft. Right now employees are working on the prototype at Toledo Express Airport. The full scale models will be capable of hauling incredible amounts of cargo.” (more…)
SAIC and ZLT Zeppelin to Develop New Pilot-Optional Airships and Market Mutual LTA Product Lines Introduction – Airships are a proven, highly effective, but relatively little-used aerial platform for important applications such as persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); national security; and support for deployed troops. (more…)
Over the last couple of years my interest and excitment around the concept of reviving and renewing airship transport technology of the blimp or zeppelin variety has been growing steadily. Today I’m now utterly convinced these massive dinosaurs of the sky from the early 1900s actually have the potential to re-emerge and change our world for the better. (more…)
