Airship

An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.

In the aerospace context, an airship is a type of aircraft that uses a gas, typically helium or hydrogen, to provide lift and buoyancy, allowing it to fly in the air. Unlike airplanes and helicopters, airships do not have wings or rotors, and they rely on a combination of lift and propulsion to fly. Airship often referred to as "dirigible" and are typically divided into two main categories:

• Rigid airship: also known as a "zeppelin", It is a type of airship that has a rigid metal frame that supports the gasbag and the propulsion and control systems. This allows them to maintain a specific shape and to fly in a more stable manner.

• Non-rigid airship: also known as "blimps", they rely on the pressure of the lifting gas alone to maintain their shape. They are less stable than rigid airships and are typically used for relatively short flights and for advertising and observation purposes.

Examples of airship include:

• The Hindenburg, a famous German rigid airship that operated in the 1930s
• The Goodyear blimp, which is a non-rigid airship used for advertising and observation
• The Aeroscraft, is a modern rigid airship under development by Aeros that is designed to be able to take off and land vertically and to fly at high altitudes and long ranges.

Airships were used extensively in the early days of aviation, but their use declined with the advent of the airplane. However, they continue to be used today for a variety of purposes, including tourism, advertising, and scientific research.