Could airships be an alternative for certain types of flights?

Amador Palacios
3 min readJun 7, 2023

The world of aviation, and especially large planes, have a serious problem eliminating the pollution they generate, and aware of this, new ideas are put forward every day to try to solve an important part of the problem, since it seems that they no longer use air transport is not a viable option.

I have seen some interesting reflections regarding the possible use of solar powered and battery powered airships as a possible option for the future, and although I was a bit surprised at first, if you continue to think about it you can come to the conclusion that the idea is not as crazy as it may seem at first.

They have the disadvantage of being relatively slow to cover very long distances, but the enormous advantage of not polluting. And it is not always necessary to go very far or very quickly, which is why different alternatives of these devices have been presented, which for the moment are concept ideas, but it could be a mistake to reject them outright.

Solar-powered airships are a promising new technology that could revolutionize the way we travel. These aircraft are solar powered, which means they are completely emission free and sustainable. They are also very quiet, making them ideal for use in sensitive areas such as national parks and wildlife refuges.

Solar-powered airships have a number of advantages over traditional aircraft. They are much slower than airplanes, but this can actually be a benefit. The slower speed means they can travel for longer periods of time on a single charge, and are also much less likely to be involved in accidents.

Solar-powered airships are also much more maneuverable than airplanes, making them ideal for use in congested airspace.

Solar-powered airships could be used for a wide variety of purposes. For example, to transport passengers and cargo, to provide surveillance, or to conduct scientific research. They could also be used to provide tourism opportunities, such as scenic flights over national parks.

The development of solar-powered aircraft is still in its early stages, but there is great potential for this technology and more is being written about it. With further development, solar powered airships could become an important part of our current air transportation system.

Here are some of the potential benefits of solar-powered blimps:

They are emission free and sustainable.

They are not loud.

They are slow, which means they can travel for longer periods of time on a single charge.

They are maneuverable.

They can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

And these are some of the challenges that must be overcome for solar-powered aircraft to become a reality:

The technology is still in its early stages.

The cost of solar-powered airships is high.

Aircraft are large and bulky, making them difficult to transport and store.

Aircraft are vulnerable to weather conditions.

Despite these challenges, there is great potential for solar-powered airships. With further development, this technology could revolutionize the way we travel.

Here are some specific examples of how solar-powered aircraft could be used in the future:

Transportation: Solar-powered airships could be used to transport passengers and cargo between cities and countries. To carry heavy loads you don’t need to be very fast, and by air traffic jams on the ground are avoided.

Surveillance: Solar-powered aircraft could be used to provide surveillance of large areas, such as borders or coastlines. They could also be used to monitor natural disasters or other events.

Tourism: Solar-powered airships could be used to provide scenic flights over national parks or other natural areas. They could also be used to offer unique travel experiences, such as overnight trips or flights to remote destinations.

One of the big drawbacks is how they are affected by atmospheric effects, and especially the wind. But with the detailed information we have about the weather today, many of its possible problems could be avoided.

Ultimately, solar-powered airships have the potential to have a significant impact on the way we live and work. With further development, this technology could revolutionize the way we travel, do business, and protect the environment

Time will tell.

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Amador Palacios

I am an electronic engineer with more than 40 years working in industry. I like to reflect on Technological and Social issues