A report by The Washington Post revealed that some companies are betting on hybrid airships as an eco-friendly alternative for the future of aviation.
The aircraft are being developed by LTA Research, FLYING WHALES, and Hybrid Air Vehicles. According to the BBC, LTA Research has already started testing the Pathfinder 1 airship.
Hybrid Air Vehicles plans to build two dozen airships in a British factory by 2030, focusing on cargo and tourist transport, according to The Washington Post.
The French-backed venture, FLYING WHALES, aims to build a factory in Quebec by 2027 and start commercial operations by 2029, the report said.
Experts suggest that the use of airships will significantly reduce carbon emissions, as they consume only a few gallons of diesel per hour in combination with battery power.
These numbers were compared with those of commercial jet engines, which burn thousands of gallons of kerosene per hour, according to The Washington Post.
However, airship expert John J. Geoghegan, author of “When Giants Ruled the Sky“, does not believe in the feasibility of this new initiative.
“The next generation of airships today is quite effective in reducing carbon emissions. The question is whether the market will support enough of them to make a significant contribution to climate change mitigation,” Geoghegan told the outlet.
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