4 ms·

Finally the use case for the "airship renaissance" I've been hearing about for the last 25 years. Seriously, some kind of VTOL craft that could deploy the blad

by jp57 1y ago

Finally the use case for the "airship renaissance" I've been hearing about for the last 25 years. Seriously, some kind of VTOL craft that could deploy the blades directly to the site seems necessary. Then there's ground transport from some airport out into the hinterlands.

Terr_ 1y ago
There's still a problem for generic cargo handling: The moment you start to release the cargo, the now-excessively-buoyant vehicle rises away.
- SoftTalker 1y ago
  You tie it down before you unload. You probably also need to load ballast on for the return trip.
  - Terr_ 1y ago
    Fully landing the craft and anchoring it flat before un/loading limits how efficiently it can work to move cargo, especially in all the situations where a zeppelin/blimp is compelling because there's a lack of infrastructure.
    - OkayPhysicist 1y ago
      Conceptually, you don't need to fully land the craft. If you lower the payload by cable, those cables are your anchor line. Then you adjust buoyancy until you're no longer straining against the cables, cut anchor, and float away.
      - quesera 1y ago
        Can an airship compensate for 60-75 tonnes of buoyancy change? Releasing helium sounds expensive.
        SoftTalker 1y ago
        You could load ballast (maybe water) as you unload the cargo.
        Terr_ 1y ago
        Looks like the ballpark of $100k per metric ton, definitely not something you want to vent if you can help it.
        OkayPhysicist 1y ago
        you don't need to vent it if you can compress it. 1 cubic meter of helium replaced with 1 cubic meter of air raises the weight of the craft by ~1.5 kg. That means we need to be able to reduce our helium volume by 50,000 m^3. If (optimistically) we can pressurize the helium to 2 atmospheres, then we only need a 100,000 m^3 envelope. Which is huge, but half the size of the Hindenburg. Realistically, we'd probably get worse compression than that, but it's within an order of magnitude of feasible.
        Terr_ 1y ago
        > If (optimistically) we can pressurize the helium to 2 atmospheres It's been a long time since my physics classes, but wouldn't the require 4864 megajoules of energy [0] while raising the temperature of the gas from something like 20C -> 113C? Spreading that energy-use over 15 minutes, maybe 5 megawatts dedicated to compression. [0] https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-processes https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-process...
        Terr_ 1y ago
        P.S.: Same tool but this link that pre-fills the input boxes with numbers. https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-processes?calculatorResult=H4sIAAAAAAAAA9Vda3PaSBb9KxS1H2ZmY43UrWdqZqqIHzHY4AfGjrM15WpABtlSC%2BtBTFL579sCyUggpO6W8Ozmw5SRbp%2FT5%2Fbr3ivQ%2FGiaeGJhsx%2BgwGx%2B%2FNEcIXsU2uTD%2BBZ5Fhrapt9Djuk3P%2F6nOXft0DFB80MzMJ2Z6aEg9JYfsUT%2BM3hAY9IABdaIfLpLffr7Q3M0RXiSh7m7VQybopI2mSNgF4%2BtwHKxH%2FXewrMwyPzhuDbyHhzk%2B4IYfZ4jOyRCU9cbfzVEAjw2A3OUlh31bm0VcTlmgMYoQBEOueSOrLSfMqAE0PKPLH9mo4U5bn58RLZvRgi%2BjyZLR4cWudycH18evz52XtzxraYdTg9uFhePX4TE7ENzGjg2Mftj9lc3wm4sO%2ByEftAYmo2JZ5IOeI2AOLchCn%2F8Pvur%2BfPnT9KKXH8YoRkaWcFCkNK6M7eKpGcMqdRnW1A6wDkVw8OeeOZftszL89A%2FMF6HQa4DTgl8463n5T4YPZBpYrkCyMiPrxYqj23oRCfGlHqD4yt1Cp5FtXt6rshAu5aun2cUele9LlU98whStFQEmJb9drlI95sRlfC1NaVyu%2BNbnyYH2HOvgs75Nzg0Ry9PucrbmKxoZDcSCnrZUJDzZEMa2ZBJNqSVPZ50pzfX3%2BW5PHBmD9Npd3jVlWqWrQhKnmyFRrbCJFuhlW3NTm8c%2FDg%2BnWkvo2t54MktTaxZtiaoebI1Gtkak2yNVvbsIXyxraOnezOYPJ48ul%2FVs%2FC5Jtmr41cStLTo%2BGKR5NiESnBiSym3d%2Fvq9L%2BcOidfw87s%2Bnhy%2F03ttwvlrghoxUJB3xZbuJpjEwax1Cv5wQHfvKvTr9%2FaLThXZfHrvAWtGsUqgrEttnANxyYMYqnXr3173PM8tX3%2FEt4edPs3V4Nx%2B7RGsZogidtqC5dubMKglnrZPj7dnXb6WDs%2Bfl6cnV3ed9rdW7UWtenwVZAyoVj6VpHuTARMI34jZKbyQH8UnBzcDK%2B0z63z%2Fis%2Bc7qBelTogRQLkxugIIEdbihc2Wk7VjdQr%2FGjjtpfvLgtiOY9MHRsAB%2Ft%2FbhBESS4ww2Faz5tx%2BoG6tUPoHkvf7r7rA%2FCqYbg9PYV9%2BBe3ED2AXmHGwo3g7Qdqxuot4XpsGWNv3w6aZsveHZ%2F8Bqqry%2BL%2BtyQHP1AkHLjN0ATyACmQAbQSkf6Yb%2F13D%2B7vDg1Lxbnn2%2FdwVMrV%2FqJhbmiN1mQcsM3mUa1zKRaplWtd28HLwGU74%2FOpzdPw0en3RMPa1WtC5KWp1qnUa0zqdZpVcuqPAC6fdYJfAdP%2Fe%2BTe0vq1KI6rhgJUk4YVzi7k1IT%2FVlPPbPxSXA5bd1KU0kNQN%2B%2B7iwu55MCtWxxjSpIOVGcWq5VZdCq0mq9v7vstb7gm6duz2wtUO9GHjzn7%2BM8WnUB5MRwhTM5NmHQSj2LxYevJ7j7dOF8ee2dHYRwfD2W%2BzVoxZIAMnEbLozWMF2Mhqkjs6G7uD8avAazoYy%2BK7cePBiO89OOluOGOGi4j40JoqgSYiiATCSGC%2BMvTBd1YfrKSEsemnP%2Fs62ot96nz%2BibhVr5QTerMEUAmdgKF0ZUmC6OwtTRExKR2EZHY90cXbTdUHseH3i3tQjTBJCJlnBhjITpIiNMHQ89H02fUNs9ax1%2Bn4%2Btg3PZsPGoujCizA2DHQV7irp87I3AC0mnA8%2BaTEzPwpOkRfSsgfTq0nNHpKfN%2FPo4XQ2cnSlThS4tNzPjb9R7y%2Bu63AxxabW8hMrNEFcxy6uV3AxxwbC8MMjMkKnNlVXhONHjYlhZ2YsTPa4%2BldWZONGTck9ZYYcZPqe%2BQlVEqUKUVDCoyhRViJIaAVUhoApRkoVTpdrcyy%2FJc8vzWW6KJKksTx65KZIMrjxT41wrSbpUlhhxwicZSlkuwgmfJAVl4T8z%2FFscXhB2s4MmMXBByMsOmsSfBeEmO2gS%2BxWEeoygUeAVWpmvSwxtd%2FT82XPDmS8AwUEEhNgKojCKRg5Hfy1Hd2qNTb80ykioGn%2F%2B2ZAiETvgpXL47eOTFhyUg%2B84HGgZYDkD5sGV6b0Od8CDAniF1us84CqT13kYNAqv8%2BDq9F5XdsDDAniD1us84BLFQt0RN1BTUCxWzAVMsVDzgvQ0vlyET7FMtyNRanSKxbojkKKmoFiwmBoYcu3ugHYbgxy7Ow842%2B7Ow0AxbQbZLzsyElDMnLtKBBTz5qoSAcVmnxd7F%2B7IkGmnT40xDwPFnj94sHx3NHW9nR4qIqDY9e8qEdDs%2FFfVGKjXsUq7%2B0O23T81yFwUVCuZuGiIdnuokIBqJVchoFrJVQgYVrLOcdJIFEt5O0ekRqddxsHU9Bxk81DQLmR%2BCkC7kkspMnX1ejM7%2Bry1zpSvMit%2FLliZmjVJrEzImT3Gz34qEHPlldVp%2BTPO6tysuWh1Rs4stToxV%2F5anbZCZlsDOWvOWwMlZzZcAzNXnlwDL38GXQM5a27NSVk96%2BY7F6qm45VZ%2BfP0ytTcCXxlZu7MvjIzd8pfmZmzFlB9PfFXCapzc9cPqlNzVxaqU%2FPXHGrg5qpG1MDLX6eogZy3glEDNW9towZq3qpHDdSc9ZAamLkqJTXw8tdQaiDnr65UJ69Qd6EmXz5yH7l4bnq%2B5eIT13NCG%2FkRWfo4Jh%2FXRu3EjAD98otnPpqeiUfmbUT966%2FNNN5FGBTaEvLUQtk3S7zr75smGY498gyoxkYSl%2F9%2BY6GTfo9b%2FfrbLur3GK%2FB%2B4zX4J3G6%2B6fG6%2B7dxmvu%2FcZr7t3Gq91hblotCQIFObBihrtGqt1ev2P0ML3cKn8HiTKe5Bo70Gi75Mk82iBgafx74Yiq%2FB3IDIwNg6SRpvcRdN939wscz6FUrUXqfbZ%2FrAsj%2FfoD8tKeo%2F%2BqP9j%2FWHZBPbWn%2BTB5B63iqQCu3eKvR5CyYOgvVOwTFNOir0eP0kmvzeKKO0M%2FcB1Ov6x57lelM3%2Bnbr2OnO95XfKiX2UjhJ7k2AfFrwNMP1KgQpvBjRfAw8dxb9PtPzWeI5Ix9c%2FQrT8rju07HWWHfqmt3JUiANvceiOoxR70I8cEnqR7MXy81HqQn%2FhDN3op4n%2FivqE5tYEBa53jvAkRBPzBk3ILRMfLEEIfjvSYCF7gK3AT2riM2KZtIhJTbz07OPK9ZH1kTkz8Tii7KLZyo9RtSHPf0lR4EMm9d9IkrKh%2FofmBEUNMu8Z3HztXub1dQiHyG5H3%2B5fFhkSzo8%2Fll%2F8b%2FpPrd5pf4ZvzpT2V%2FnuWrMezu6WM8shTaL%2BRqYOCqZPpFHzkzXphc6Q%2BH%2F9lRNp6YKN6sUSXGQDEpdAmykiP9JGjsQPNEFrhzknQwM%2FT%2FTOpGPY1%2F2T6bWkHbGBwubP7ZSHxd2rH22s%2FsocRfQgyxR2jfT2MXPsrOFwaNuxbU7eRE0L3hhBfjhMj7TuPFgN0mqm17rK0m84XL8XLb3tbX5XaPVtqwtsLzJVQ%2BrlOk%2B23%2F%2BDhbpZSMybLdFfedXAMttMyaHAeKsuR61B1lVZ0kVVEgVR1qCk6pKoiFDVDQAA1BRNVA2gKlCCugR0w1BkTZZVTTOIKVQkY70Ma0HarPIVaqZ3Zp2bKa%2BnD%2BpzdT1QmxW6Av%2FVdoRsF9IKWPdy3rxtMwmyJKiqxriDLJtsvWB4DQkEWdclRtC40XITX2%2BUCaYsiCJQ2SDjNquXt7BuDJKiSUASyJlI5hSZThIAhgJ1WZV03VDIZ0lUgaRrwJCAJklQhFBRVTLxDJVMPclYbwx1IGFYOl2wUm6ilZpk4pE4KoiKmIyDuWrzczNIiE9qIotx%2BcRtMu%2F4pdYiU1uWu3CjCklhqZdabgZAKy8ZMPqZPJuXVm02Xq3HGp5BXRV0WTHIEIqGTqYj0ERDFWWJ7K46lKFq6BrZcRXZgBDIhiQCMkmhCnQRyGTGQv1t6teCtF01pHNl%2Bahv19vojFUW4%2FKJkord02E444Jbhe67Y%2FcSAFUxdFHQdQBlPfpTjk5VclaKokQOTqhKkFxUdCCTwQKGqMqibIgSMMjxqkQjtz6da0HKFKVKfVc%2BepnyUKkd7ZiVLe3VduXOrbHpvf2fFVAYuD6am3HlxbVtNPPNcXu8zBG6Yuf0y8vNKbzsDWbfvjrzHnxtRTnB1LRnN%2Bbr8jccmSgsLodc5VzLxC1vdtvX0qFQ2ix7KRu8pO2yF99qHe9V3fBNe%2FkmhGWZpm%2BHk2XYkDnJZp7lIC8qCPkBwmPkjR9Q4Lj%2BjPTA3Eig17YOzMtP1%2FcPtx7jre9dIn9EpGXncgH0xv2zredqu6GVEmilAForhtZKoLUCaMDgeFDCA3Icv5H1re92OzkP%2FzdvX%2B263dl6bJrnns2DZsMHG9nZBvpd4d2rwrupnazAX%2BquPr0lPHld2nXzquhmJs7ZPZP0vB5vJqZ5ndp9e7NGkLlN%2Fv0XX%2FE70tVmAAA%3D https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-process...
- daemonologist 1y ago
  You can compress the lifting gas (at the cost of energy and equipment weight of course) before unloading to remain ~neutrally bouyant.
- mschuster91 1y ago
  Well, while it's hard to transport a 130 meter long windmill blade on a street... the 60 tons of water you'd need to replace it as ballast weight, that's two semi trucks worth. Easy to get to even the most remote sites, you need heavy machinery (and thus, roads) there anyway to build a foundation capable of supporting a 200m high tower.
cratermoon 1y ago
The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane comes to mind. The range of ~300km would seem to be a limiting factor.
lkbm 1y ago
> Blimps and airships can carry the weight, but they bring a laundry list of complications. They’re too slow, need an expensive hangar to shield them from bad weather, require helium—which is currently scarce—and struggle to land when it’s windy. “And by the way, wind farms tend to be windy,” he says.
- s0rce 1y ago
  Can you make unmanned hydrogen filled versions?

by jp57 1y ago

Terr_ 1y ago

There's still a problem for generic cargo handling: The moment you start to release the cargo, the now-excessively-buoyant vehicle rises away.

SoftTalker 1y ago
You tie it down before you unload. You probably also need to load ballast on for the return trip.
- Terr_ 1y ago
  Fully landing the craft and anchoring it flat before un/loading limits how efficiently it can work to move cargo, especially in all the situations where a zeppelin/blimp is compelling because there's a lack of infrastructure.
  - OkayPhysicist 1y ago
    Conceptually, you don't need to fully land the craft. If you lower the payload by cable, those cables are your anchor line. Then you adjust buoyancy until you're no longer straining against the cables, cut anchor, and float away.
    - quesera 1y ago
      Can an airship compensate for 60-75 tonnes of buoyancy change? Releasing helium sounds expensive.
      - SoftTalker 1y ago
        You could load ballast (maybe water) as you unload the cargo.
      - Terr_ 1y ago
        Looks like the ballpark of $100k per metric ton, definitely not something you want to vent if you can help it.
      - OkayPhysicist 1y ago
        you don't need to vent it if you can compress it. 1 cubic meter of helium replaced with 1 cubic meter of air raises the weight of the craft by ~1.5 kg. That means we need to be able to reduce our helium volume by 50,000 m^3. If (optimistically) we can pressurize the helium to 2 atmospheres, then we only need a 100,000 m^3 envelope. Which is huge, but half the size of the Hindenburg. Realistically, we'd probably get worse compression than that, but it's within an order of magnitude of feasible.
        Terr_ 1y ago
        > If (optimistically) we can pressurize the helium to 2 atmospheres It's been a long time since my physics classes, but wouldn't the require 4864 megajoules of energy [0] while raising the temperature of the gas from something like 20C -> 113C? Spreading that energy-use over 15 minutes, maybe 5 megawatts dedicated to compression. [0] https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-processes https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-process...
        Terr_ 1y ago
        P.S.: Same tool but this link that pre-fills the input boxes with numbers. https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-processes?calculatorResult=H4sIAAAAAAAAA9Vda3PaSBb9KxS1H2ZmY43UrWdqZqqIHzHY4AfGjrM15WpABtlSC%2BtBTFL579sCyUggpO6W8Ozmw5SRbp%2FT5%2Fbr3ivQ%2FGiaeGJhsx%2BgwGx%2B%2FNEcIXsU2uTD%2BBZ5Fhrapt9Djuk3P%2F6nOXft0DFB80MzMJ2Z6aEg9JYfsUT%2BM3hAY9IABdaIfLpLffr7Q3M0RXiSh7m7VQybopI2mSNgF4%2BtwHKxH%2FXewrMwyPzhuDbyHhzk%2B4IYfZ4jOyRCU9cbfzVEAjw2A3OUlh31bm0VcTlmgMYoQBEOueSOrLSfMqAE0PKPLH9mo4U5bn58RLZvRgi%2BjyZLR4cWudycH18evz52XtzxraYdTg9uFhePX4TE7ENzGjg2Mftj9lc3wm4sO%2ByEftAYmo2JZ5IOeI2AOLchCn%2F8Pvur%2BfPnT9KKXH8YoRkaWcFCkNK6M7eKpGcMqdRnW1A6wDkVw8OeeOZftszL89A%2FMF6HQa4DTgl8463n5T4YPZBpYrkCyMiPrxYqj23oRCfGlHqD4yt1Cp5FtXt6rshAu5aun2cUele9LlU98whStFQEmJb9drlI95sRlfC1NaVyu%2BNbnyYH2HOvgs75Nzg0Ry9PucrbmKxoZDcSCnrZUJDzZEMa2ZBJNqSVPZ50pzfX3%2BW5PHBmD9Npd3jVlWqWrQhKnmyFRrbCJFuhlW3NTm8c%2FDg%2BnWkvo2t54MktTaxZtiaoebI1Gtkak2yNVvbsIXyxraOnezOYPJ48ul%2FVs%2FC5Jtmr41cStLTo%2BGKR5NiESnBiSym3d%2Fvq9L%2BcOidfw87s%2Bnhy%2F03ttwvlrghoxUJB3xZbuJpjEwax1Cv5wQHfvKvTr9%2FaLThXZfHrvAWtGsUqgrEttnANxyYMYqnXr3173PM8tX3%2FEt4edPs3V4Nx%2B7RGsZogidtqC5dubMKglnrZPj7dnXb6WDs%2Bfl6cnV3ed9rdW7UWtenwVZAyoVj6VpHuTARMI34jZKbyQH8UnBzcDK%2B0z63z%2Fis%2Bc7qBelTogRQLkxugIIEdbihc2Wk7VjdQr%2FGjjtpfvLgtiOY9MHRsAB%2Ft%2FbhBESS4ww2Faz5tx%2BoG6tUPoHkvf7r7rA%2FCqYbg9PYV9%2BBe3ED2AXmHGwo3g7Qdqxuot4XpsGWNv3w6aZsveHZ%2F8Bqqry%2BL%2BtyQHP1AkHLjN0ATyACmQAbQSkf6Yb%2F13D%2B7vDg1Lxbnn2%2FdwVMrV%2FqJhbmiN1mQcsM3mUa1zKRaplWtd28HLwGU74%2FOpzdPw0en3RMPa1WtC5KWp1qnUa0zqdZpVcuqPAC6fdYJfAdP%2Fe%2BTe0vq1KI6rhgJUk4YVzi7k1IT%2FVlPPbPxSXA5bd1KU0kNQN%2B%2B7iwu55MCtWxxjSpIOVGcWq5VZdCq0mq9v7vstb7gm6duz2wtUO9GHjzn7%2BM8WnUB5MRwhTM5NmHQSj2LxYevJ7j7dOF8ee2dHYRwfD2W%2BzVoxZIAMnEbLozWMF2Mhqkjs6G7uD8avAazoYy%2BK7cePBiO89OOluOGOGi4j40JoqgSYiiATCSGC%2BMvTBd1YfrKSEsemnP%2Fs62ot96nz%2BibhVr5QTerMEUAmdgKF0ZUmC6OwtTRExKR2EZHY90cXbTdUHseH3i3tQjTBJCJlnBhjITpIiNMHQ89H02fUNs9ax1%2Bn4%2Btg3PZsPGoujCizA2DHQV7irp87I3AC0mnA8%2BaTEzPwpOkRfSsgfTq0nNHpKfN%2FPo4XQ2cnSlThS4tNzPjb9R7y%2Bu63AxxabW8hMrNEFcxy6uV3AxxwbC8MMjMkKnNlVXhONHjYlhZ2YsTPa4%2BldWZONGTck9ZYYcZPqe%2BQlVEqUKUVDCoyhRViJIaAVUhoApRkoVTpdrcyy%2FJc8vzWW6KJKksTx65KZIMrjxT41wrSbpUlhhxwicZSlkuwgmfJAVl4T8z%2FFscXhB2s4MmMXBByMsOmsSfBeEmO2gS%2BxWEeoygUeAVWpmvSwxtd%2FT82XPDmS8AwUEEhNgKojCKRg5Hfy1Hd2qNTb80ykioGn%2F%2B2ZAiETvgpXL47eOTFhyUg%2B84HGgZYDkD5sGV6b0Od8CDAniF1us84CqT13kYNAqv8%2BDq9F5XdsDDAniD1us84BLFQt0RN1BTUCxWzAVMsVDzgvQ0vlyET7FMtyNRanSKxbojkKKmoFiwmBoYcu3ugHYbgxy7Ow842%2B7Ow0AxbQbZLzsyElDMnLtKBBTz5qoSAcVmnxd7F%2B7IkGmnT40xDwPFnj94sHx3NHW9nR4qIqDY9e8qEdDs%2FFfVGKjXsUq7%2B0O23T81yFwUVCuZuGiIdnuokIBqJVchoFrJVQgYVrLOcdJIFEt5O0ekRqddxsHU9Bxk81DQLmR%2BCkC7kkspMnX1ejM7%2Bry1zpSvMit%2FLliZmjVJrEzImT3Gz34qEHPlldVp%2BTPO6tysuWh1Rs4stToxV%2F5anbZCZlsDOWvOWwMlZzZcAzNXnlwDL38GXQM5a27NSVk96%2BY7F6qm45VZ%2BfP0ytTcCXxlZu7MvjIzd8pfmZmzFlB9PfFXCapzc9cPqlNzVxaqU%2FPXHGrg5qpG1MDLX6eogZy3glEDNW9towZq3qpHDdSc9ZAamLkqJTXw8tdQaiDnr65UJ69Qd6EmXz5yH7l4bnq%2B5eIT13NCG%2FkRWfo4Jh%2FXRu3EjAD98otnPpqeiUfmbUT966%2FNNN5FGBTaEvLUQtk3S7zr75smGY498gyoxkYSl%2F9%2BY6GTfo9b%2FfrbLur3GK%2FB%2B4zX4J3G6%2B6fG6%2B7dxmvu%2FcZr7t3Gq91hblotCQIFObBihrtGqt1ev2P0ML3cKn8HiTKe5Bo70Gi75Mk82iBgafx74Yiq%2FB3IDIwNg6SRpvcRdN939wscz6FUrUXqfbZ%2FrAsj%2FfoD8tKeo%2F%2BqP9j%2FWHZBPbWn%2BTB5B63iqQCu3eKvR5CyYOgvVOwTFNOir0eP0kmvzeKKO0M%2FcB1Ov6x57lelM3%2Bnbr2OnO95XfKiX2UjhJ7k2AfFrwNMP1KgQpvBjRfAw8dxb9PtPzWeI5Ix9c%2FQrT8rju07HWWHfqmt3JUiANvceiOoxR70I8cEnqR7MXy81HqQn%2FhDN3op4n%2FivqE5tYEBa53jvAkRBPzBk3ILRMfLEEIfjvSYCF7gK3AT2riM2KZtIhJTbz07OPK9ZH1kTkz8Tii7KLZyo9RtSHPf0lR4EMm9d9IkrKh%2FofmBEUNMu8Z3HztXub1dQiHyG5H3%2B5fFhkSzo8%2Fll%2F8b%2FpPrd5pf4ZvzpT2V%2FnuWrMezu6WM8shTaL%2BRqYOCqZPpFHzkzXphc6Q%2BH%2F9lRNp6YKN6sUSXGQDEpdAmykiP9JGjsQPNEFrhzknQwM%2FT%2FTOpGPY1%2F2T6bWkHbGBwubP7ZSHxd2rH22s%2FsocRfQgyxR2jfT2MXPsrOFwaNuxbU7eRE0L3hhBfjhMj7TuPFgN0mqm17rK0m84XL8XLb3tbX5XaPVtqwtsLzJVQ%2BrlOk%2B23%2F%2BDhbpZSMybLdFfedXAMttMyaHAeKsuR61B1lVZ0kVVEgVR1qCk6pKoiFDVDQAA1BRNVA2gKlCCugR0w1BkTZZVTTOIKVQkY70Ma0HarPIVaqZ3Zp2bKa%2BnD%2BpzdT1QmxW6Av%2FVdoRsF9IKWPdy3rxtMwmyJKiqxriDLJtsvWB4DQkEWdclRtC40XITX2%2BUCaYsiCJQ2SDjNquXt7BuDJKiSUASyJlI5hSZThIAhgJ1WZV03VDIZ0lUgaRrwJCAJklQhFBRVTLxDJVMPclYbwx1IGFYOl2wUm6ilZpk4pE4KoiKmIyDuWrzczNIiE9qIotx%2BcRtMu%2F4pdYiU1uWu3CjCklhqZdabgZAKy8ZMPqZPJuXVm02Xq3HGp5BXRV0WTHIEIqGTqYj0ERDFWWJ7K46lKFq6BrZcRXZgBDIhiQCMkmhCnQRyGTGQv1t6teCtF01pHNl%2Bahv19vojFUW4%2FKJkord02E444Jbhe67Y%2FcSAFUxdFHQdQBlPfpTjk5VclaKokQOTqhKkFxUdCCTwQKGqMqibIgSMMjxqkQjtz6da0HKFKVKfVc%2BepnyUKkd7ZiVLe3VduXOrbHpvf2fFVAYuD6am3HlxbVtNPPNcXu8zBG6Yuf0y8vNKbzsDWbfvjrzHnxtRTnB1LRnN%2Bbr8jccmSgsLodc5VzLxC1vdtvX0qFQ2ix7KRu8pO2yF99qHe9V3fBNe%2FkmhGWZpm%2BHk2XYkDnJZp7lIC8qCPkBwmPkjR9Q4Lj%2BjPTA3Eig17YOzMtP1%2FcPtx7jre9dIn9EpGXncgH0xv2zredqu6GVEmilAForhtZKoLUCaMDgeFDCA3Icv5H1re92OzkP%2FzdvX%2B263dl6bJrnns2DZsMHG9nZBvpd4d2rwrupnazAX%2BquPr0lPHld2nXzquhmJs7ZPZP0vB5vJqZ5ndp9e7NGkLlN%2Fv0XX%2FE70tVmAAA%3D https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/thermodynamic-process...
daemonologist 1y ago
You can compress the lifting gas (at the cost of energy and equipment weight of course) before unloading to remain ~neutrally bouyant.
mschuster91 1y ago
Well, while it's hard to transport a 130 meter long windmill blade on a street... the 60 tons of water you'd need to replace it as ballast weight, that's two semi trucks worth. Easy to get to even the most remote sites, you need heavy machinery (and thus, roads) there anyway to build a foundation capable of supporting a 200m high tower.

cratermoon 1y ago

The Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane comes to mind. The range of ~300km would seem to be a limiting factor.

lkbm 1y ago

> Blimps and airships can carry the weight, but they bring a laundry list of complications. They’re too slow, need an expensive hangar to shield them from bad weather, require helium—which is currently scarce—and struggle to land when it’s windy. “And by the way, wind farms tend to be windy,” he says.

s0rce 1y ago
Can you make unmanned hydrogen filled versions?