Airships are making a comeback — but can they really take off this time?

Airships are making a comeback (Representative Image)

Nearly a century after the fiery Hindenburg disaster grounded the golden age of airships, a new generation of start-ups is betting that the zeppelin is ready for a comeback. Armed with safer materials, advanced technology, and a renewed focus on sustainability, companies in the United States, Britain, and France are pitching airships as a low-emission alternative to airplanes and trucks — especially for cargo and slow-paced tourism, the Washington Post reported.

The modern airship: safer, slower, greener

Where 1930s zeppelins burned hydrogen, today’s prototypes float using nonflammable helium and are built with carbon fiber and titanium rather than wood and metal. Airship companies say their designs could reduce fuel use and carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional aircraft. Many pair efficient engines with battery power, enabling them to use just a fraction of the fuel burned by cargo jets.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s LTA Research is testing its Pathfinder 1 — the largest aircraft in the world at 400 feet long — with ambitions to eventually scale for commercial use. In the U.K., Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is building a fleet of 300-foot airships that combine features of planes and blimps. Meanwhile, French-backed Flying Whales is planning to launch 600-foot-long cargo airships by 2029, capable of carrying up to 60 tons.

Business case still uncertain

Despite enthusiasm, scepticism runs high. Airship historian John J. Geoghegan says that although the designs are technically impressive and climate-friendly, the bigger hurdle is commercial viability. “The question is whether the market will support enough of them for them to make a significant contribution to reducing climate change,” he said.

Startups argue they’re targeting a logistical sweet spot — cheaper than planes, faster than trucks. With maximum speeds of around 80 mph, airships could carry bulky freight that doesn’t need to move at jet speed or reach areas without roads or runways. For instance, Flying Whales initially pitched its technology to haul timber from remote forests. Others point to transporting wind turbine blades or delivering humanitarian aid to disaster zones as key potential uses.

Luxury tourism and scenic skies

Passenger flights may be less about utility and more about experience. HAV has secured deals with operators planning to fly tourists over Scotland, the Arctic, or the Mediterranean in what it describes as a “luxury cruise through the sky.” The gondolas of these airships will resemble commercial aircraft interiors, but the flight is expected to be smoother and more scenic.

Still, the infrastructure demands remain significant. Airships require specialized hangars, massive clearings for mooring, and proximity to their bases. LTA’s hangar in California, for example, spans seven acres and is so tall that fog can form inside.

A nostalgic vision, grounded in reality?

Despite the ambition, most of these projects are still in early stages, and none of the new airships have been certified to fly commercially. For now, the dream of greener, slower aviation is floating just out of reach. “I’d love to see airships flying through the sky,” Geoghegan said. “But I don’t think that specialised cargo, or disaster relief, or even specialized tourism is a big enough market to really sustain these companies.”