Special Missions
Successfully completing special missions since 2001, the Zeppelin NT platform has been used across the globe by media, government, environmental and research organizations to advance their work.
Science
The Zeppelin NT’s scientific work has ranged from orca research in the Puget Sound and extremophile observation in the San Francisco Bay to testing equipment for a Lunar lander along the California Coast! Flying low and slow, with minimal environmental impact, the Zeppelin is an ideal non-intrusive platform for observing wildlife. These same flight characteristics and the very low vibration of the gondola also create an ideal environment for sensitive equipment.
Past Science Mission Partners Include:
Observation & Surveillance
The same sweeping panoramas that make flightseeing so enjoyable enable the Zeppelin NT to be an unparalleled observation and surveillance platform. Capable of surveying a landscape at day or night, flying over the ocean, or monitoring secure maritime or inland areas, the views, low noise footprint and long-duration flight characteristics of the Zeppelin NT make it a versatile surveillance platform.
Disaster Management & Emergency Response
In the event of an emergency, the Zeppelin NT’s ability to travel to hard-to-reach locations and hover for extended periods of time make it an ideal surveillance, communications and technology platform for first responders and emergency personnel. Whether it be identifying hotspots in rugged territory after a forest fire, accessing devastated areas after an earthquake or hovering and providing ad-hoc communications system access after a disaster, the Zeppelin NT has been proven capable.
Past Missions Include:
- CalEMA for Operation Golden Guardian (State of California Disaster Drill)
Publicity Benefits
Want to tell the world about your work? Science done by Zeppelin has been proven to be newsworthy. As the result of their work aboard the Zeppelin NT, the Associated Press, USA Today and local and national broadcasters have covered our partners. This built-in news hook often means that adding an outreach component (often required with some government funding sources) is very simple!
Training
Increasingly, agencies of all sorts are looking to airships of all kinds, including blimps and hybrid air vehicles, to help solve a wide range of operational challenges. Many new designs are being considered or are already in prototype or early construction stages. With expertise in operating many types of airship, Airship Ventures can supply a custom training and familiarization program for pilots, mechanics and ground handlers who may be moving into this highly specialized field.
Current Clients Include:
- A Major U.S. Defense Contractor
- A Branch of the U.S. Military
Camera Platform
One of the most common airship uses is for aerial camerawork at major events. Unlike blimps, we can hover in place, spin on our axis or accommodate your whole crew aboard to make getting the perfect shot and making camerawork easier than ever before. Consider having your commentators or talent aboard to see all the action from above for the ultimate Skybox!
Some of the commercial camera and sensor equipment we have worked with:
- Cineflex HD in partnership with Aerial Video Systems
- Flir HD in partnership with Winged Vision
- Optech LIDAR with Airborne 1
Past Events:
- PGA Golf
- NCAA College Football
- USTA Tennis
- The Rose Bowl Game
- Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Comprehensive Expert Support
Our team of pilots, engineers, and ground staff has a wealth of experience in lighter-than-air technology. Our expertise lies in flight, flight associated operations, maintenance and training, offering you end-to-end support of your mission from conception to execution. Collectively, we have worked with 19 different types of airship in over 20 countries across 5 continents and have proved that we can make it happen.
We are also familiar with the economics of operating airships and we may be available to assist with feasibility studies and evaluations.