BIT:dirigibles as helicopter replacements

[Aglifter]

Perhaps, slightly, heavier than air to make them more controllable in foul weather...

Some kind of auto-gyro like device for use as urban transport...

[Cybrludite]

For what the military uses them for? No way, no how.

In civilian use, given the current state of our helium reserves? Unlikely. Now, make an envelope capable of maintaining a decent vacuum in the lift cells and is cheaper & safer than running a helo? That has possibilities for applications that don't require the helo's speed.

[Aglifter]

That was what I was thinking - The military needs the speed too much - I was thinking more for the folks who are taking them only a few miles, usually, (say from Newark Airport to Manhattan), etc.

Or, as I so often dreamed of, stuck in Houston traffic - or Austin traffic, which is worse - when I only needed to go a few miles, but had to allow an hour...

[tfbncc]

The problem with airships is that they cannot carry a passenger load/cargo large enough to justify the cost.

Back in the 80's, The Navy was looking at dirigibles as a possible long term ASW, open ocean radar and search platform. It was planned to be used against drug smugglers in the Caribbean and along both coasts. A single dirigible with a 2 section crew could stay aloft for up to two weeks at a time. While feasable, it never really got past the panning stage.

[Greg]

That was what I was thinking - The military needs the speed too much - I was thinking more for the folks who are taking them only a few miles, usually, (say from Newark Airport to Manhattan), etc.

Or, as I so often dreamed of, stuck in Houston traffic - or Austin traffic, which is worse - when I only needed to go a few miles, but had to allow an hour...

It would seem awfully tempting for a short range runabout. Cost would tend to restrict it to a vip air taxi, though.

Seems to me the main practical issue is simply size. Good rule of thumb is air is a bit over 1kg/m3. So a bouyancy cell to balance just the weight (even pure vacuum for maximum lift for a given size) of a vip, personal assistant and luggage would be on the order of the size of a railcar. Not counting vehicle structure, propulsion, fuel, etc etc.

Advances in materials science, to allow larger, lighter, stronger structures might make big "industrial" lifter airships practical for say freight hauling or such, but that only works if you can scale the vehicle size up. Lighter than air doesn't work on a small scale.

[MiddleAgedKen]

...and another dream of a career as an airship pirate shattered. Dang it all.

[Jericho941]

I just want to know if my "massive zeppelin UAV carrier" makes any sense whatsoever.

[Greg]

I just want to know if my "massive zeppelin UAV carrier" makes any sense whatsoever.

With current structural materials? Probably not.

[Yogimus]

I think it might. If the UAV-s are also dirigibles.

[tfbncc]

On the other hand...

airship house