Compare
Airship, drone, helicopter or satellite?
Each platform has its place. This is where a persistent airship fits, and where the others are the better choice.
| Aerostatix X-11 | Inspection drone | Helicopter | Satellite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time over the target | 10+ h | about 45 min per battery1 | about 2 h per sortie3 | seconds per pass; up to twice-daily revisit5 |
| Ground detail (resolution) | centimetre level, sensor dependent | centimetre level | centimetre level | 30 cm per pixel at best5 |
| Works under cloud | yes, flies below the cloud base | yes | yes | no, optical imaging needs a clear sky |
| Noise at 100 m | under 38 dB(A) | about 55 dB(A) | about 95 dB(A)4 | none on the ground |
| Rotor downwash | near zero | continuous | strong | none |
| Payload | up to 15 kg | up to 2.7 kg2 | large | n/a |
| Beyond line of sight | yes: radio / 5G with satellite back-up | mostly within sight today | yes, crewed | global coverage |
| People involved | 1-2 people | 1-2 people | pilot on board plus ground crew | none on site |
| Direct emissions | none, battery-electric | none, battery-electric | fuel burn | none in operation |
| Image quality | sharp and steady: slow, low-vibration flight that can hold position | good: gimbal-stabilised, short flights | good: higher speed and vibration | limited by resolution, cloud and atmosphere |
| Best for | long corridors, hours on station | short spot inspections | fast long-range patrols | wide-area mapping and change detection |
Indicative comparison for orientation only, not a commitment or guarantee. Aerostatix values are design specifications; other values are typical public figures, with numbered sources below.
- Manufacturer specifications of a widely used enterprise inspection drone: maximum flight time 45 minutes. Source
- Manufacturer specifications of a widely used heavy-lift inspection drone: maximum take-off weight 9.2 kg minus about 6.47 kg aircraft weight with batteries, which leaves about 2.7 kg of payload. Source
- Riboldi and Fanchini (2025), Assessing the technical-economic feasibility of low-altitude unmanned airships, Aerospace 12(3), 244. Source
- Christie et al. (2016), helicopter noise measured at 100 m.
- Operator specifications of a very-high-resolution optical satellite constellation: 30 cm native resolution and up to twice-daily revisit. Source
- Christian and Cabell (2017), Initial investigation into the psychoacoustic properties of small unmanned aerial system noise. Source
Sources are third-party publications, linked for reference only. Any product names or trademarks on those pages belong to their owners. Aerostatix is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Honest trade-offs
Where the others win, and where the airship adds value.
Versus drones
Where they win
- short spot inspections
- close-up work on structures
- fast deployment from a van
Where the airship adds value
- hours on station instead of battery swaps
- heavier sensor payloads
- quiet flight with near-zero downwash for gas and air measurements
Versus helicopters
Where they win
- speed over very long distances
- very heavy sensors
- operations in stronger wind
Where the airship adds value
- unmanned and far quieter
- no direct emissions
- can stop and hold position over a target
Versus satellites
Where they win
- wide-area coverage anywhere on Earth
- no flight permits needed
- long historical archives
Where the airship adds value
- centimetre-level detail
- works under cloud
- stays over one site instead of passing by
Better together
Satellites flag, the airship watches, crews go in close.
Satellites show where something changed. The airship stays over that area for hours. Drones and crews go in for close-up work. We build the airship as a partner platform for inspection operators.