Pathfinder 1, an airship developed by Sergey Brin’s company LTA Research, achieved its first untethered flight in October 2024 at NASA’s Moffett Field in California.

This marks a significant milestone in the revival of rigid airships, a design last used in the 1930s.

Despite past disasters like the Hindenburg crash, LTA Research aims to safely mass-produce large airships using modern materials and technology, the BBC has reported.

While interest in airships is cyclical and their economic viability remains uncertain, Pathfinder 1’s success offers hope for the future of lighter-than-air flight, with potential applications in disaster relief, tourism, and green aviation.

Written by B.C. Begley