Russia (bbabo.net), - A demonstration sample of an airship with a carrying capacity of up to 500 kilograms will be created in Yakutia. Zeppelins are planned to carry passengers and cargo in the Arctic.
The consortium "Airships in Yakutia" is engaged in the development and testing of the balloon for the needs of the republic. The aircraft will be built by specialists from the Dolgoprudny Automation Design Bureau.
According to Yury Kuznetsov, director of the enterprise, they can create an airship 130 meters long and 30 meters in diameter, which will be able to transport up to 30 tons of cargo over a distance of about four thousand kilometers. The characteristics of the prototype for Yakutia will be determined upon completion of work on the aircraft project in May 2022. Simultaneously with the construction of the airship, the development of regulatory documentation, the creation of a set of ground support facilities, and the training of personnel will go on.
The project received the support of the government of the republic. Prime Minister Andrei Tarasenko instructed the Ministry of Transport of the region to prepare an agreement on the use and operation of airships in Yakutia.
The fact that balloons and drones could become the future of the Arctic transport was discussed four years ago. These devices have a number of advantages: environmental friendliness, the possibility of year-round use in difficult weather conditions, a minimum of ground infrastructure. There is fuel for them in Yakutia - according to Yury Danilov, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation of the North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU), there is enough helium at the Chayandinskoye field.
The fact that balloons and drones could become the future of the Arctic transport was discussed four years ago
According to experts, the use of alternative modes of transport in the Arctic will help facilitate the delivery of goods and reduce its cost. This is very important - every year, due to the shallowing of the rivers, the northern delivery is given to Yakutia more difficult. In addition, there can be much more options for using zeppelins in the Far North.
So, at the Pacific State University (Khabarovsk), the possibility of using airships has been studied for several years. According to Alexander Abuzov, Dean of the Faculty of Nature Management and Ecology, it makes sense to use them for transporting people, developing mineral deposits, environmental and fire monitoring, logging, and prospecting. At the same time, balloons similar in terms of carrying capacity will cost several times cheaper than a helicopter.
- In the 21st century, airships are made from modern materials. The dome is based on polyurethane fabric, the layers of which are welded on special machines so tightly that they can only be seen under a microscope. This material is more wear resistant and holds gas better. It is necessary to “blow” such aircraft as a maximum once a month, says Professor Abuzov.
At the same time, experts from the Aerochemflot aviation alliance have doubts about the safety of using airships in the Far North. According to the head of the association, Klim Galiullin, their operation in central Russia has its advantages. But in the Arctic, the minuses come first: huge windage, dependence on the weather and susceptibility to icing. In addition, berthing facilities will be needed at the unloading sites and hangars to serve the appropriate sizes, which will need to be heated.
The carrying capacity of an airship directly depends on the volume of its shell. The larger it is, the device is exposed to dangerous weather phenomena.
“There are very strong winds in the Arctic,” says Nikolai Polyakov, Honored Pilot of Russia, who has worked in the Far North for many years. - It is easy to imagine a situation when, instead of moving in the right direction, the airship will carry in a completely different direction. It has a huge windage, and in order to withstand the wind, it is necessary to seriously increase the power of the engines, which is unacceptable for an airship - this is not a fighter.
Whether alternative modes of transport will take root in the Arctic, time will tell. But if the experience of Yakutia turns out to be successful, other northern regions of the country will also be able to use it.
back to news With their help, they will deliver food, medicines and small cargoes along two routes. According to NEFU Associate Professor Aleksey Shvetsov, the payload and flight range of modern drones are especially important in emergency situations when something needs to be delivered quickly. Another advantage of drones is the ease of training operators: it is enough to take a three-month course. And the lack of a crew, the low cost of an hour of work, the ability to operate at night and in difficult weather conditions make this type of transport very promising in the Arctic.
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