A sky’s giant with multiple resources

A sky’s giant with multiple resources

Juin 22, 2016Actualités

Taking part in defense or civil missions, e.g. cargo transport, observation and surveillance, airships appear as innovative air carriers. Last June 10, the 8th Airship Forum edition took place in Royan, France.

All airship community gather at the occasion of the 8th Airship Forum, organized by SAFE Cluster and hosted by Mr. Andre Soulage, SAFE Cluster’s Airship program director for New Industrial France government program.

Manufacturers, academia, operators and economic bodies related to this sector met in Royan, France, to assess current market situation and research works, mostly conducted on setting up an industrial plan.

Mr. Soulage expressed his views about this subject and listened participants’ ideas about the aforementioned industrial plan. Likewise, he answered questions concerning helium resources and engines certification.

An air carrier with multiple resources…

Today, airships have an important role to play in specific missions, including heavy loads transportation, and in performing tasks where traditional aircrafts have access limitations. In addition, airships can take part on daily basis activities, e.g. railways surveillance, hygrometry measurement in agriculture, big scale mapping, 3D modeling, etc.

This forum was the occasion for members of SAFE Cluster, like AirStar, CNES, Flying Whales and Thales Alenia Space, to meet and present their initiatives regarding:

  1. A hybrid and aerodynamic airship to automatically lift containers
  2. An airship laboratory to develop a 100% electric airship
  3. Establishment of a school of airship for training future pilots, technicians and ground operators
  4. Stratospheric balloons for telecommunication missions and communication relays
  5. Flat bottom electric airships, with autonomous landing, to transport solar panels
  6. Innovative airships, with variable geometry, performing a wide range of flights
  7. Trefoil airships for on-water purposes

This forum concluded with roundtable discussions on innovation and on how pursuing the airship industrial sector’s economic and technology development.

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Arthur Ouvrard de l’estaca