According to a recent article in popular Machinery magazine, Google co-founder Sergei & middot; Brin supports ldquo; lighter than air & rdquo; Research is preparing to test-fly its ldquo; Pathfinder 1rdquo; hard airship, while French Flying Whale is also actively developing related technology.

It is reported that the ldquo; Pathfinder 1 rigid airship will be operated by telex, which means that its steering and other controls are electronic rather than the previous mechanical connecting rod. The application of this technology will make the operation of the airship more accurate and safe.

At the same time, & ldquo; Pathfinder 1rdquo; quotation; its specification table includes & ldquo; Kevlar fiber & rdquo;“ carbon fiber & rdquo;“ tear-proof nylon & rdquo; and & ldquo; hydrogen fuel cell & rdquo;. For airships, these new materials will greatly reduce the weight of airships.

In the way of energy storage, a pair of diesel generators are fixed in the airship's fuselage to transmit power to the lithium-ion battery pack that drives the propeller. The solar panels on top of the airship will provide extra energy.

The airship can carry up to 200 tons of cargo a day, almost 10 times the capacity of Boeing 737 and other aircraft. Once completed, the ldquo; Pathfinder 1 airship will become the largest airship in the world.

In addition, the French flying whale company is also testing the use of hard airships to carry heavy objects. The LCA60T developed by Flying Whale is a hard airship about 200m long and capable of carrying cargo weighing up to 60 tons.Three times the size of a heavy helicopter. It provides a cargo hold with a height of 96 x 8 meters and ^ 3 meters and is supported by 10 unpressurized helium chambers.

The LCA60T's ability to hover indefinitely during loading and unloading is revolutionary. It does not require a landing area and has little impact on the environment, making it ideal for point-to-point transportation of heavy goods to hard-to-reach areas.

Flying Whale says a LCA60T can carry 1000 tents on a single flight and can be environmentally friendly because it uses electric motors. The company plans to test-fly its first LCA60T in 2025 and plans to build 150 airships over the next decade.