Cargo airships could be big
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Cargo airships could be big
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Re: Cargo airships could be big
#2There's no doubt they'll be big, but will they be practical, economically viable and successful?
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#3This is a nice theoretical summary, but it's missing an analysis on why previous attempts at cargo airships failed (see https://www.airship-association.org/cms/node/214 ).
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#4There's no doubt they'll be big, but will they be practical, economically viable and successful?
they could automate overseas transport of (e.g. fruit and other time-critical) cargo, with no pilots and very much reduced fligth costs, while being much faster then ships. Then off the coast its remote take-over and steering towards the freight air-port of destination.
The critical part here is good enough automation to keep the thing on track and prevent accidents, while not trying to integrate it into the airways like a traditional plane.
They might even over time grow into a "2nd class - slow - but cheaper transport" for people in no hurry, but with limited funds.
PS: It failed before though.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CargoLifter investors beware..
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#5[deleted]
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#6Germany's cargo airship project is now an indoor waterpark located in Brandenburg (close to Berlin)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Islands_Resort
(With rising energy costs, hopefully it can stay like this for a while)
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#7There's no doubt they'll be big, but will they be practical, economically viable and successful?
they could automate overseas transport of (e.g. fruit and other time-critical) cargo, with no pilots and very much reduced fligth costs, while being much faster then ships. Then off the coast its remote take-over and steering towards the freight air-port of destination. The critical part here is good enough automation to keep the thing on track and prevent accidents, while not trying to integrate it into the airways…
It is highly unlikely that uncrewed cargo aircraft will be allowed to operate in most US airspace any time soon. They can't reliably see and avoid other aircraft operating under VFR, and so are restricted to only limited designated airspace.
Airships are unable to cruise at high altitude due to loss of lift, and are vulnerable to damage from severe weather. For ocean routes it's not always possible to route around storms.
People keep wanting cargo airships to be a thing for some reason. It's not likely to happen. The costs are too high and the range of potential applications too limited to produce a real industry. At most we might see some limited military use where cost is less of a factor.
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
they could automate overseas transport of (e.g. fruit and other time-critical) cargo, with no pilots and very much reduced fligth costs, while being much faster then ships. Then off the coast its remote take-over and steering towards the freight air-port of destination. The critical part here is good enough automation to keep the thing on track and prevent accidents, while not trying to integrate it into the airways…
It is highly unlikely that uncrewed cargo aircraft will be allowed to operate in most US airspace any time soon. They can't reliably see and avoid other aircraft operating under VFR, and so are restricted to only limited designated airspace. Airships are unable to cruise at high altitude due to loss of lift, and are vulnerable to damage from severe weather. For ocean routes it's not always possible to route around st…
Are remote crews an option?
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#9There's no doubt they'll be big, but will they be practical, economically viable and successful?
they could automate overseas transport of (e.g. fruit and other time-critical) cargo, with no pilots and very much reduced fligth costs, while being much faster then ships. Then off the coast its remote take-over and steering towards the freight air-port of destination. The critical part here is good enough automation to keep the thing on track and prevent accidents, while not trying to integrate it into the airways…
I don't think you can send perishable goods via a very slow and delay prone transport medium. More likely this can be used for the opposite sort of goods: durable, low urgency supplies.
Re: Cargo airships could be big
#10There's no doubt they'll be big, but will they be practical, economically viable and successful?
they could automate overseas transport of (e.g. fruit and other time-critical) cargo, with no pilots and very much reduced fligth costs, while being much faster then ships. Then off the coast its remote take-over and steering towards the freight air-port of destination. The critical part here is good enough automation to keep the thing on track and prevent accidents, while not trying to integrate it into the airways…
I'm not comfortable relying on these being crewless, I've seen too many mobility projects die. When freight trains and trucks can operate crewed, a cargo airship will have no different rules to profitability.