Last week, central Alberta residents were treated to a rare spectacle in the sky that left many wondering: Was that truly a 20-meter blimp? While the sight of a Goodyear Blimp at a sports event is not uncommon, witnessing such an event in rural Alberta is a novelty.
The airborne attraction in question was a solar-powered airship, comparable in size to a school bus, engaged in testing a novel method for gathering aerial survey data near Rocky Mountain House, approximately 200 kilometers southwest of Edmonton. A collaborative team from Cloudline, a South African aerospace company responsible for manufacturing the airship, and its Canadian operational affiliate, 3 Points in Space Media, conducted flight trials with the airship from the Rocky Mountain House Airport.
Describing the airship as akin to a helium party balloon, Sean Adams, the founder and CEO of 3 Points in Space Media, highlighted the ongoing trial with TC Energy for inspecting pipeline corridors in the area. He emphasized that while airship technology has a long history, their current approach represents a significant advancement in autonomy through the integration of control systems with the airship.
Pre-flight procedures involve filling the airship’s envelope with helium and conducting diagnostic checks while it remains tethered. Once cleared, operators release the aircraft for calibration runs before embarking on long-distance survey flights. The airship, classified as a remotely piloted aircraft system with automated flight controls, recently completed a 100-kilometer flight.
Cloudline’s CEO, Spencer Horne, pointed out that the airship’s 40-kilogram payload capacity allows for the transportation of heavier camera and LiDAR sensors over greater distances compared to standard drones. While crewed aircraft excel in managing severe weather conditions, efforts are underway to enhance the airship’s resilience for such scenarios.
In a statement to CBC News, Joe Zhou, TC Energy’s vice-president of pipeline integrity, lauded the research initiative for its ability to gather diverse data types in a single flight, noting its quieter operation compared to traditional aircraft.
For Michael Adams, 3 Points in Space Media’s vice-president of research and development, the opportunity to operate the airship represents a chance to revitalize a historic aviation technology that waned in popularity after the Hindenburg disaster in the 1930s. To bridge the gap between past and present, a piece of fabric from the Graf Zeppelin, a renowned airship from the past, was attached to the airship’s payload.
The appearance of the airship in the Rocky Mountain House area sparked significant interest among locals, with Mayor Shane Boniface expressing amazement at the uncommon sighting. Despite Cloudline’s international airship operations, autonomous airships remain a rarity in Canadian airspace, with plans underway for cold-weather testing in northern Ontario to prepare for sub-zero and Arctic conditions.