Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
    • F-L
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
    • M-S
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
    • T-Z
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    • March 2025
    • Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    • Showcase 2025
    • September 2024
    • June 2024
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Subscribe to magazine Subscribe to email newsletter Media Pack
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    1. March 2025
    2. Dec 2024/Jan 2025
    3. Showcase 2025
    4. September 2024
    5. June 2024
    6. March 2024
    7. Archive Issues
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    19th March 2025

    In this issue: March 2025

    Online Magazines By Ben Sampson
    Recent

    In this issue: March 2025

    19th March 2025
    contents and front cover of magazine

    In this issue: December / January 2025

    19th December 2024
    Showcase 2025

    In this issue – Showcase 2025

    6th November 2024
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Press Releases
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
Electric & Hybrid Technology

Researchers plot transatlantic route for solar-powered airship

Ben SampsonBy Ben Sampson28th April 20233 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
Zeppelin
Bild: Colourbox

Researchers in Germany have determined the fastest and most climate-friendly route from London to New York for a solar airship – if such an aircraft existed.

However, although emissions will decrease potential passengers will need to increase their patience –transatlantic journey times would be up to three days long compared, compared an average of around eight hours today.

The study by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) used high-performance computers to work out the most climate friendly and fastest route from London to New York and back for an imaginary solar-powered airship.

The researchers, lead by Professor Christoph Pflaum from FAU and Prof Agnes Jocher from TUM simulated and calculated how fast an airship with solar cells on board could fly. They then identified the route an airship would have to take to optimally exploit wind and weather and sun positions.

Compared with long-haul freight flights, the researchers found that less than 1% of CO2 was emitted and compared to medium-haul flights 1.4%.  Compared to commercial passenger airliners, the amount of CO2 emitted was around 5%.

Modern airship development

Christoph Pflaum said, “Our calculations show that solar airships could significantly reduce both transport costs and the CO2 emissions of air travel.

“Solar airships are climate-friendly because they are equipped with extremely light and highly efficient thin-film solar cells that recharge during the flight. As a result, no combustion-related emissions are generated.

“Unfortunately, this solar airship does not exist at the moment, but in California a company is investing heavily in developing a large, fully rigid airship for the first time in 90 years, which offers a lot of space and is well protected in wind and weather.”

The development of airships for commercial use was largely abandoned following the infamous Hindenburg disaster in 1937. But several companies around the world have recently restarted their development, including LTA Research in California, USA, Airlander in the UK, and Flying Whales in France and Canada.

These airship developers are using inert gases like helium for buoyancy, lighter, stronger materials and modern design, test, and manufacturing technologies. They also plan to use solar cells on board in the future as a power source to reduce their airship’s emissions.

Tranatlantic route for airship
Simulated itinerary of a solar-powered airship in January (winter, blue line), April (spring – green), July (summer – orange) and October (fall – brown), between New York and London (left) and London to New York (right). The airship’s maximum altitude is 3020m. (Image: FAU)

Two to three days for a flight across the Atlantic

In the study, energy from the grid was only used to recharge the battery before the airship was launched.

Researcher Tim Riffelmacher said, “The battery is charged before the flight and then has to last for long distances. This is easier said than done, because at night there is no sun and the solar cells do not produce electricity.“

However, the research showed that optimizing the charging process made national, continental and even intercontinental flights possible. “According to our calculations, a flight across the Atlantic from New York to London takes about two days and one night,” said Pflaum. “In the opposite direction from London to New York we calculated a flight time of three days and two nights.”

“We only have to lower our expectations for flight time, because an airship flies much slower than an airplane.”

The paper “Design and route optimization for an airship with onboard solar energy harvesting” was published in the International Journal of Sustainable Energy.

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleWorld’s longest drone corridor to host first test flights this summer
Next Article Boeing expands ecoDemonstrator flight testing program with Explorer aircraft
Ben Sampson

Ben has worked as a journalist and editor, covering technology, engineering and industry for the last 20 years. Initially writing about subjects from nuclear submarines to autonomous cars to future design and manufacturing technologies, he was editor of a leading UK-based engineering magazine before becoming editor of Aerospace Testing in 2017.

Related Posts

Electric & Hybrid

FAA approves certification basis for Ampaire’s hybrid-electric propulsion system

15th May 20253 Mins Read
Electric & Hybrid

ZeroAvia and RVL Aviation to launch UK hydrogen-electric cargo flights

14th May 20253 Mins Read
News

Commercial aircraft could deploy aerosols to cool planet

9th May 20253 Mins Read
Latest Posts

Industry Adoption of 3D Optical Surface Gauges

21st May 2025

NDT: Robotics and software spur innovation

21st May 2025

Wisk and NASA to partner on US autonomous flight operations and standards

20th May 2025
Supplier Spotlights
Our Social Channels
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Getting in Touch
  • Subscribe To Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Media Pack
Related Topics
  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Business Jet Interiors
FREE WEEKLY NEWS EMAIL!

Get the 'best of the week' from this website direct to your inbox every Wednesday

© 2023 Mark Allen Group Ltd | All Rights Reserved
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.