Return of the Zeppelin - New Revolution to Air Travel

This Aeroscraft is predicted that it will change the way that goods are moved around the world by providing a mode of transport which is cheaper than planes but faster than ships.

It requires only a third as much fuel as an aeroplane carrying cargo, and it can take off and land anywhere even without a formal airstrip - including on water - making it well suited to war zones and disaster areas.

The key technological breakthrough came when the firm's founder Igor Pasternak came up with a way to compress helium, which allows the airship to control its weight. The Aeroscraft can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, so it can visit destinations which do not have an airport.

This means that even though its 115mph average speed is much slower than a jet aeroplane at 500mph-plus, the overall travel time could be lower because it can travel directly from where goods are produced to where they are needed.

Worldwide Aeros hope that this will make it useful to the military and aid charities operating in parts of the world with poorly developed infrastructure on the ground.

It may seem flimsy compared to a metal jet, but the Aeroscraft has bulletproof skin, and even if its exterior is breached it does not deflate like a balloon.

The firm claims that its first airships will be available to customers in mid-2015, when they will be rented out for a year at a time.

(Source: DailyMail)