this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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For everyone saying it has no market.... some googling finds it is intended for slow cargo delivery to places that have no existing infrastructure. Also this is a prototype, so the bigger ones will have a much larger capacity. They also say it is for disaster relief, similarly to places with no infra, or where that infrastructure has been destroyed like in an earthquake or what not.
And how much cargo demand is there in places that have no infrastructure?
Yeah no, there's still no market. Anyplace that has the need for cargo delivery builds the infrastructure.
Accepted, but "much larger" in this context is going to be like 2x, maybe 3x payload. Not 10x.
Ah yes, just what the world has been waiting for... slow disaster relief.
There's no disaster relief role that this could fill that isn't already being done better by helicopters.
Also, the idea of sending a lighter-than-air vehicle anywhere near a hurricane or recently erupted volcano is ludicrous. Earthquake, maybe, but a helicopter would still do supply drops and rescue faster and more flexibly than a ponderous gasbag.
Right now, plenty of places with no infrastructure usually just don't get developed. So this would open the door to some places. And who do you think would want to go to such places. The very rich. So you can charge a whole lot to get them the cargo they want. That is how things with small market can make ridiculous amounts of money.
And disaster relief is for PR. But with all the connections he has, I am sure he will be able to get governments or even private backers to pony up money to send the blimp into a disaster area because it is hugely visisble and makes those people look like they are helping.