Technical Program

Investigating current missions and operative scenarios for LTAs vs. proposed ones

· Propulsion technology
     · Thrust-generation technology
     · Energy storage and energy conversion systems

· Building materials and components
     · Light materials and construction (including for rigid airships)
     · Envelope materials and envelope making
     · Electronics, power conversion and actuators

· Design concepts and techniques
     · High-buoyancy non-rigid and rigid airships
     · Hybrid airships (i.e. low-buoyancy)

· Recent prototypes and technology demonstrators
     · Mission concept and demonstrator
     · Report from experimental missions

· Ground infrastructure
     · LTA-ports
     · Energy supply chain systems
     · Lifting gas management: supply chain, top-up/refill systems, recuperation and storage

Recent applications and new concepts in the field of Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) technology and making

· Recent LTA products
     · Mission analysis, concept and testing
     · Reports from actual missions: employing LTAs on operative mission

· Study of mission paradigms vs. other non-LTA platforms
     · Low-altitude unmanned airships: autonomous and remotely controlled
     · High-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS)
     · Human/cargo transportation
     · New missions

· Safety and integration in the aviation system
     · Certification of new machines
     · Regulations in operations – UAV, high-altitude missions, large transport airships

· Feasibility and mission planning
     · Economics of airships: profitability margin vs. different platforms
     · Economical results from operations