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Airships - LTA vehicles, a ‘new’ means of transportation for the efficient,

sustainable and resilient integration of remote areas in the Americas

Ricardo J. Sanchez (United Nations ECLAC)

Alejandra Gómez Paz (Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Martin Sánchez Salvá (FUC, Argentina)

February 22nd, 2021

INTRODUCTION

This paper proposes the Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) transportation alternative, as a disruptive technology with significant technical advances in recent years, which exhibits the capacity to make a broad contribution to the optimization of mobility and logistics networks in large areas of the Americas. The paper advances the demonstration that airships are required to be incorporated into the transport matrix (both nationally and regionally), so that they move towards more efficient, sustainable and resilient networks - co-modal/synchro-modal systems-. Airships do not necessarily compete with other means of transport in an exclusive way, instead they provide a complement to traditional modes that improves co-modality / synchro-modality and also performs social functions, achieving a clear improvement in connectivity -accessibility- both interior and regional.

By reviewing the relevant available literature, which stems from an array of disciplines, the authors aim to contribute to the effort towards a paradigm shift in logistics and mobility with the incorporation of airships. The state of the art in LTA technology and its representative models is exposed in the paper; the case studies carried out at the University of Manitoba, which can be considered of substantial methodological achievement, are taken as a reference point for the research procedures that could be replicated in other areas such as those of the Latin American region. The paper incorporates as well an appraisal of the current trend in logistics and mobility. A preliminary survey of America and the Caribbean, evidence that airships might be necessary in areas of low accessibility, such as the Amazon and Patagonia, which have economic activity but difficult accessibility, optimizing the co-modality / synchro-modality, an alternative for the promotion of development, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Future lines of research are proposed as well.

1. FRAMEWORK AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE

The airship is a type of vehicle that fits within the LTA category, thus reflecting some of its main advantages, such as the reduction in energy consumption and operating conditions associated with the lift of these aircraft in a free and vertical form, which only require propulsion elements to push it through the air once in buoyancy, and fewer infrastructure requirements on the ground, which only require propulsion elements to push it through the air once it achieves buoyancy.

There is progress in research that analyses feasibility and complementarity with other means of transport, highlighting cost savings by using airships in remote areas such as the Northern Canadian steppe, for their geographic and demographic configuration, for the transportation of

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mineral extraction products (Prentice, 2013), food and general merchandise (Prentice & Adaman, 2017) and fuel (Prentice & Wilms, 2020). The cited studies were prepared by the University of Manitoba, Canada, and are mainly based on investments and operational cost analyses, based on a load distribution. They also emphasize that when also considering investments in road infrastructure of special characteristics, which are commonly used to connect remote areas that are difficult to access, airships are feasible, depending on the ton/km and distances to be covered, and the associated costs. A survey by Neal & Koo (2020) that covers the Australian desert expanse, is to be noted for its different focus on cost theory and approach to a potential market analysis, applied to an estimate of a ‘Potential Airship Fleet Demand’ over 2012 and a projection of it by 2030. The calculation consists of the multiplication of the FTK in non-bulk shipments by the result of market share simulations, over the annual FTK of each airship model. The airship's FTK is based on “an individual airship operating 300 days per year, 12 hours a day” (Neal y Koo, 2020, page 7).

The feasibility of implementation in distributional circuits and trade routes is developed from the competitive approach with current means of transport (Prentice & Knotts, 2016), and from the standpoint of operational considerations for navigation and ground facilities for mooring, docking and co-modality (Lynch, 2018; Prentice & Ahmed, 2017). There is relevant progress, exhibited in this paper, to place the development of airship and its competitive edges in a broader global and historical context (Prentice & Knotts, 2014), which is supplemented at the most specific level of market potential assessment in Asian regions (Prentice & Lau, 2016) and with case studies for the insertion of these aircraft into other transport systems and operations , such as urban passengers (Romli & Aminian, 2017), the conduct of humanitarian and medical aid (Dorn, Baird & Owen, 2018), assistance in disaster events (Lynch, 2018), the provision of computer and communication services (ADB-BASI, 2019; University of the Highlands and Islands, 2019), and military operations, among others (Ghanmi & Sokri, 2010).

No major cases of academic studies have been found in Latin America and the Caribbean on the incorporation of airships with a focus in remote areas of difficult accessibility, using this advanced technology. Previous studies showing the lack of infrastructure services and weak accessibility in the hinterland connecting the main nodes (Jaimurzina, Perez, Sánchez, 2015 and 2016) are identified; Kreuzer & Wilmsmeier, 2014; Nieto, Sanchez & Wilmsmeier, 2006; Wilmsmeier, Jaimurzina & Montiel, 2017, among others). The feasibility of the use of airships for the transport of cargo and hydrogen was established in line with the technical stipulation of the degree of development of electrical power systems incorporated into aircraft designs (Hunt, Byers & Others, 2019), a technological advancement prospect that is favored by the critical mass of research and achievements in the industry for its sustainability and environmental care advantages , which converge in the manufacture of the hydrogen fuel cell (Aerodays Forum, intervention by Dr.B. Sträter, 2020; Prentice & Knotts, 2016; Prentice & Lau, 2016). Among other technical milestones, the airship industry has succeeded in developing prototypes incorporating mixed power systems, including helium and fossil fuels in smaller proportions, and whose designs lead to a future implementation of all-electric hydrogen-based schemes as an energy source (Flying Whales, 2020; Hybrid Air Vehicles, 2020; BASI, 2020). These companies include, as of publication, the advancement in hydrogen technology among their current work schedules. A number of consensuses are identified in the scientific community regarding some engineering criteria for the design of airships, which tend to favor the technological profile of 'hybrid' airships by virtue of their versatility in

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parking and loading/unloading maneuvers to avoid congestion in ground infrastructure and their greater autonomy and receptivity of loads (Lynch, 2018); its increased operational flight resilience to various weather and topographical conditions (Dorn, Baird & Owen, 2018); their negative buoyancy at rest, which makes them less sensitive to weight gains and decreases during loading/unloading operations (Prentice & Knotts, 2016); and its character as a disruptive technology regarding the innovations it poses for navigation through hostile territories, and the accomplishing of humanitarian operations (Tatham, Neal & Wu, 2017). While a unification and standardization of criteria for land-based docking and cargo handling infrastructure is still pending, a progress can be seen towards a broad consensus for the implementation of the rotating circular platform designed by Canadian manufacturer Buoyant Aircraft Systems International (BASI), which accompanies the rotation of the airship with the wind preserving and working conditions of the ground crew, and has a perimeter apron with docks for cargo handling with road vehicles (Prentice & Ahmed, 2017).

The determination of the feasibility of the different airship models and their engineering parameters is based on the review of technical studies that trace the progress over time and the adaptability of the various technologies available to the different types of uses and operations. While there is not yet a unified airship design in terms of its internal construction, power and propulsion structure and storage compartments, convergent trends in critical mass in recent years allow to identify certain advances towards a type of standardized design. Among the latter, the most important include altitude parameters for navigation and their counterpart of energy and structural performance for platform services for satellite communication and air monitoring (Jamison, Sommer & Porche, 2005); practicality determinations in fuel consumption for load lifts of higher relative weight (Hunt, 2015); infrastructure modelling for technological propulsion components and the use of hydrogen for buoyancy control (Petrescu & Petrescu, 2017); and the design and manufacturing materials for the airship's outer envelope, seeking the balance of its weight for navigation in adverse climates and lifting cargo, with damage prevention (Ito & Holdings, 2018).

The role of the critical mass in consolidating scientific advances and general agreements is evident in the conclusion of collaboration agreements between industry actors, from which innovative initiatives and proposals arise to provide logistics systems with a legal and regulatory framework conducive to the insertion of airship (ADB-BASI1, 2019; Aertec Solutions, 2020; Sträter, 2020); the debate is also brought forward to introduce LTA vehicles to the framework of regional and community programmes such as the European Union’s Green Deal and the pursuit of the SDGs (Aerodays Forum, 2020; ONU, 2020; UNCTAD, 2020).

As noted, the advancement of research has been mainly exhibited in technological milestones and in case studies at specific areas for cargo transport and promotion for other uses, and some progress in collaboration agreements and discussions. The presence of Latin American actors in collaborative initiatives within the industry works to support the implementation of case studies available in future studies for the insertion of airship into comparable territories of Latin America, such as the Amazon and Patagonia, among others; the topics for future research are proposed

1 ADB - Airship do Brasil Indústria e Serviços Aéreos Especializados is a Brazilian company focused on airships development (http://www.adb.ind.br/index.jsp). BASI - Buoyant Airships Systems International is a Canadian company (https://www.buoyantaircraft.ca/). Aertec Solutions is a Spanish company (https://www.aertecsolutions.com)

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within the framework of a comprehensive appreciation of Latin American transport, ecosystems and commercial, social and health context.

Despite the significant technological progress and feasibility case studies, no logistics studies and regional plans have been found throughout the review of relevant literature that incorporate airships as a new means of transport with the feature of contributing to improve mobility and logistics in co-modality / synchro-modality terms. Logistics involve more than the transport function, "logistics integration is a fundamental part of productive integration, to such an extent that without an adequate and efficient interconnection of infrastructure networks and associated services, it is not possible to generate value chains and productive integration in general" (Jaimurzina, Pérez & Sánchez, 2015). Following the guidelines of the SDGs, ESCAP (2019) points out as a challenge to promote smooth and sustainable freight connectivity through a more efficiently integrated infrastructure for all means of transport and a more balanced modal distribution, with better service to users and considerable energy savings.

Connectivity is an accessibility feature of a node in a logistics network. Connectivity can be measured through different indicators, being of special interest for this paper those which measure the number of services available from one node to reach another node, as well as efficiency in connection time and cost and node facilities. ESCAP (2019) refers to the study by Mark Robert et al. which also proposes to consider indicators related to economic well-being, social inclusion, equity, environmental quality and economic resilience. Research at TU Delft research center has advanced the concepts of co-modality/synchro-modality, Khakdaman, Rezaei & Tavazzy (2020) clearly explain the progress in this trend, combined transport and co-modality put the focus more on sustainability and efficiency. The concepts of multimodality, intermodality and combined transport were developed in the 80'-90'. This is described by Khakdaman, Rezaei & Tavazzy (2020): in 1980 Unctad defines multimodality as cargo transport using two or more means of transport, intermodality adds that it is in the same transport unit, door-to-door and with greater integration. Combined transport and co-modality focus mostly on sustainability and efficiency. Synchro-mode (synchronized intermodality) adds two more attributes, flexibility (adaptive) and transport mode selection based on real-time information. Logistics service providers, in this model, have the flexibility to make real-time decisions based on variations in demand and the availability of resources available in the logistics network.

It is also highlighted by Wilmsmeier, Jaimurzina & Montiel (2017) that the mobility of people and burdens, in terms of volume and structure, carry an important weight within the context of sustainable development because of the environmental, social and economic effects involved in this activity. They emphasize that mobility is therefore an essential issue for efforts to achieve most the SDGs, even if sustainable mobility is not represented by a particular SDG, but is cross-sectional to several of them. Mobility is a key element in connecting and accessibility of rural areas to domestic and regional markets (Goals 1 and 10), health services (Goal 3) and educational institutions (Goal 4), based on accessibility to sustainable energy sources (Goal 7). And as for transport infrastructure (Goal 9), it offers a decades-long lifespan, which means that decisions made by local and national governments will have lasting effects on development and the environment.

The main hypothesis of this paper is as follows: airships are required to be incorporated into the transport matrix (both nationally and regionally), in order to make a significant contribution to

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the changing of the transportation paradigm, and to move towards more efficient, sustainable and resilient networks, as a way towards more co-modal/synchro-modal systems.

To this end, this paper is mainly based on the review of the scientific and industrial literature on the state of the art in the development of airships, the feasibility studies for their implementation in isolated areas due to their low accessibility, the situation of logistics and mobility in Latin America, and to review its applicability in the Amazon or Patagonia in a preliminary manner. Lastly, a set of conclusions and proposals for further research are included.

2. REPRESENTATIVE AIRSHIPS AND CASE STUDIES

2.1 Representative Airships

Among the representative airships in which different experts agree to apply in studies on different types of transport operations, the ones exhibited on table 1 can be highlighted:

Table 1: Representative Airships

Vehicle Varialift ARH50 Flying Whales LCA60T HAV Airlander 50

Loading capacity (in tons) 50 60 50

Length (meters) 150 154 119

Estimated cruise speed (km/h) 350 100 195

Range (nautical miles/ kilometers) 6.000/11.112 540/1.000 2.600/4815

Crew 2 3 7

Passengers 14 0 (solo carga) 50 (con prestaciones turísticas)

Max. Altitude 30.000 pies 10.000 pies 10.000 pies

Type of build Rígida Rígida Híbrida/Rígida Source: the authors, based on data published by the producers

It should be noted that the previous models are considered 'representative' of the state of the art of technology in which the critical mass of technical findings, achieved in collaboration between different industry and scientific agents, plays a decisive role, largely emerging from the approaches and cooperation agreements between companies taking place in recent years. In other words, airship models represent not only the latest recorded advancement in science but also the achievement of a number of common criteria among various engineering studies, which are reflected in the compatibility and adaptability of the operational parameters that traverse and link studies together for the realization of different types of operations by airship, over various regions. A common ground is observed between studies on short-distance passenger transport, provision of communication services to remote areas, and construction of cargo transport circuits by airship, based on the coincidences of the various studies with regard to the prototypes of airships (and their technical components) that they took as a reference for the development of their logistics models.

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This would lead to greater freedom and breadth in shifting the findings of case studies already conducted in other regions for which future studies should be carried out in Latin American and the Caribbean.

The three models shown in the table above are relevant for the activities in force at the date of this work in terms of development and marketing; in turn, they serve as a sample of certain basic engineering criteria, within which variations are introduced (evidenced in the factors of speed, range of travel, etc.) that respond to the nature of the operations in which each vehicle is expected to occupy. The three proposed models employ vertical lifting, so that they do not require additional space or infrastructure to retrace flight; their respective loading and unloading procedures, docking and navigation manoeuvres also take advantage of the buoyancy physics and mechanisms to optimize safety and efficiency.

2.2 Reference case studies

In order to quantitatively validate that airships generate positive impacts when brought into a logistics network, the most advanced available case studies are underscored, such as those of Prentice and Adaman (2017) and Prentice and Wilms (2020), in order to employ the methodology they showcase for remote regions of conditioned accessibility in Canada, to future studies in inland regions of Latin America and the Caribbean with analogous features, in terms of development potential and accessibility and connectivity issues.

Prentice and Adaman (2017) considers the case of the Canadian Northwest, which encompasses communities in the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, implementing a survey of market characteristics - types of merchandise according to demand levels in each community; freight costs from the available infrastructure for the modes in effect; and estimates of airship investment and operation costs; results are exhibited as an estimate of cost reduction with the incorporation of LTA technology. The case study encompasses the ESLW and WSLW regions, both with accessibility difficulties; the selection of cases followed the criteria of: regions with a relatively large number of communities and with a relatively large population, regions do not have accessibility all year round through terrestrial infrastructures, and are different in terms of distance, means of transport and demand, finding widespread results for both regions.

In winter, accessibility to these regions is with ice trucks and low-cost aircraft; highlight the maintenance costs of the ice roads linking these locations, as well as the length of runways for aircraft (those operating these areas are capable of carrying between 3 and 5 tons). Among Manitoba's provincial plans is a $2.7 billion seasonal road network within 30 years, meanwhile, the region remains dependent on icy road trucks and air transport for its freight transport needs. The charts on Diagram 1 show the surveyed regions: ice roads that are built to connect remote communities are not marked.

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Diagram 1. Distribution of ESLW and WSLW/NWC communities

Source: Prentice & Adaman (2017)

To serve this area, the study proposes an airship with a capacity of 50 ton, under a helium consumption. Airship and hangar investment costs, insurance and operating, fuel and personnel costs are considered. Two model systems that could be studied are presented, one simpler from an analytical perspective, "point-to-point" where by which the transport airship leaves a source that carries a full load, flies directly to a destination of the cargo and returns to the empty source, this scheme does not make a choice of routing based on cost, travel time or travel frequency optimization. The model system, employing the chained trips approach, assumes that the transport airship starts from a full-load origin, then delivers smaller loads in various "milk run" destinations; the airship travels through a circuit within each region and eventually returns to the empty source. The methodology uses the first model, which provides a conservative estimate of the performance of airships, which they consider to be correct given the state of progress of the investigations.

The results of the survey are exhibited on the analysis of two alternative schemes: one where ice road utilization continuity is considered, which involves replacing traditional air cargo flows with airships, while keeping ice truck flows fixed; and a second alternative where the continuity of ice roads is not considered, considering that transport will be carried out entirely by airship. Diagram 2 shows the distribution circuit model of the second alternative for the ESLW region, which hypothetically discontinues the use of ice roads, along the results of the case study: a percentage reduction of food and general merchandise transport costs per community (the size of circles is proportional to the relative size of each community). In all surveyed cases, the results for each model in both regions show cost savings across the communities. The analysis is sound, and demonstrates the feasibility of airships in remote areas of difficult accessibility, this study being conservative, in the costs of airships and the distribution model used. As of the date of this investigation, both the construction and flight tests of 50-tonne transport airships are in process of completion to corroborate the logistics base estimates.

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Diagram 2. Distribution circuit model in ESLW region without continuity of ice roads. Percentages of transportation cost reduction per community

Source: Prentice & Adaman (2017)

Another case study that is distinguished is that of Prentice and Wims (2020) which projects the scenario of fuel transportation (as a low-value product) in the same regions as those analyzed in Prentice & Adaman (2017). In this case, the feasibility of the airships is also accounted for by incorporating the "inventory cost" variable into the analysis. The selected airship is of 30 tons in capacity, integrating a ground platform (BART) for loading and unloading operations into the transport model. The study's findings show that a fleet of 3 aircraft could provide regular service throughout the year at the same cost as trucks on winter roads; consequently, cost savings would be achieved by turning winter roads into gravel roads, and suggests the change of way in a mixed transition.

In the survey by Prentice & Adaman (2017) a comparative analysis of the costs per tonnes of freight cargo is carried out between different transport vehicles: traditional aircraft, airships, road trucks, ice trucks on roads, in relation to the distance to be traveled, for the transport of food and goods in general. From the analysis of the curves, the conclusion is reached that the costs of truck transport are lower than that of airships only if investment costs on the road are not considered, indicating that the cut-off point is a function of use. The comparison between conventional aircraft and airships, is evident by the higher cost of aircraft, is found to have an advantage over the aircraft usually used, for all distances.

A previous study by Prentice (2013) compares the costs of airships vs roads available for all climates. The cost for road infrastructure is estimated between $1.6 million and $3 million/km, noticing that these also have maintenance costs. Cut lines are established for the use of airships in a mining extraction to become feasible, considering the cost of building and maintaining roads, and concluding that the cut line is a function of the ton/km transported and the duration of the operation; being that airships are an alternative when cargo volumes are relatively low and the duration of operation is a few years; it is also established that airships increase their relative efficiency along with the transport distance.

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2.3. Case study developments: Amazon and Patagonia

In awareness of the advantages of airships, two areas are acknowledged in which the incorporation of airships can be seen as optimal and not in exclusive competition with existing means of transport; enhancing logistics and mobility, from a standpoint that encompasses beyond transportation itself, but as a contribution to efficient, sustainable and resilient systems. These areas are outlined below, as regards their territorial distribution of populations, economic activity, characteristics of existing logistics networks, efficiency and development of logistics services and infrastructures. An overview of infrastructure plans, and estimates of traditional ground infrastructure costs are presented to complete the prospect. These areas are identified as having a vital economic activity, as well as infrastructure needs for territorial integration, and flexible plans that follow the current guidelines towards sustainability .

The Amazon extends throughout the countries of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Suriname and the French Guyana; it is home to the largest watershed in existence, with an area of more than 7 million square kilometers. It has its own identity, is a populated area of approximately 39 million people. The Brazilian Amazon comprises 3.8 million square kilometers (59% of the whole territory), with a population of 20 million inhabitants (12% of brazil's population, with 69% living in urban areas) (IBGE,2000). By 2020, an estimated 25 million people inhabit the region. Moreover, the Amazon has a vital economic activity, but with low connectivity, whose main means of transport is the river. Brazil's Hub ports, such as Santos, can be located up to 15 days away from the feeder ports of call of overseas vessels (the last access point for overseas feeder vessels is Manaus). In regards to roads only 12% are paved, according to data from the Eje Amazonas (COSIPLAN, UNASUR, 2017a).

Nieto, Sanchez and Wilmsmeier (2006) show the transit times for a number of locations at the Amazon, observing large areas with times of more than 32 hours. They also point out that it is not waterways that make up the central-western basin of the Amazon, but rather a vast network of naturally navigable rivers that could constitute waterways, if they are appropriately prepared. It is therefore noted that this is not an unpopulated region, as may be presumed; it is indeed a region of economic complementation among economic activities, a shared Amazonian identity, a high wealth in bio-diversity, tourism, hydrocarbons, agriculture, fish farming and industry. It shows, however, a lack of infrastructure and logistics services; there is no known planning for improving logistics services and infrastructures in comprehensive schemes for the whole area. Some works such as paving the BR-163 / PA (Cuiabá-Santarém) road of 1,770 km are distinguished, with an investment of $6.5 billion (COSIPLAN, UNASUR, 2017b). To concern about the lack of infrastructure for accessibility, the alarm for deforestation is added; the study "Amazonia possible and sustainable, report by ECLAC and other institutions" (2013) presents it as a region vulnerable to climate change.

Southern Patagonia is a 0.5 million square kilometer region that encompasses the provinces of Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego with approximately 900,000 inhabitants (INTA, 2017). Said region comprises an Andean side and an extra-Andean side. Characteristic of its climate are the strong winds that vary between 15 and 22 km/hour; and, unlike the Amazon, the extra-Andean region is arid: although there is a presence of rivers, these are not used for mobility. The main industries are fishing, sheep, oil, mining extractions and tourism, and in particular Tierra del Fuego is distinguished by its appliance and electronics industry. In the Province of Neuquén, included in

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Patagonia, fruit production is distinguished. Patagonia is also distinguished by a lack of accessibility, the coast identifies main ports such as San Antonio Este, Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia, and others, fishing ports, of scarcer infrastructure. It is emphasized that the main tourist poles are connected by plane, since the offer on the road, is not selected for its long distances and lack of intermediate nodes of interest. Another industry located in remote areas is that of mining explorations, across the Andean area.

While there are differences between the Amazon and Patagonia, they both are remote areas with human settlements and economic activities (current and potential); and of low accessibility, especially due to a reduced and inadequate provision of mobility and logistics services and infrastructures. Nonetheless, both regions show a lesser relative development within their hinterlands which, among other motives, is explained by low connectivity to the rest of the territory of their respective countries, which makes it difficult for them to make sustainable progress, remaining as deferred regions. Airships, due to their technological breakthroughs and flexibility in demand, are able to meet the needs of these regions in order to further territorial integration.

In section 2.2, case studies were referenced which surveyed Northern Canadian remote locations. As a preliminary approach towards establishing the compatibility of such case studies with a wider framework of LTA research, a set of key similarities can be traced between said region and those in Latin America for which further research is being proposed:

• Populated remote regions • Stationary available ground infrastructure and elevated costs for specialized infrastructure • High cost freight availability, as in the case of air freight • Elevated inventory costs for storing essential merchandise

Considering the proposed similarities, and recognizing that airships are potentially more viable when accounting for the whole costs associated with freight transport, such as infrastructure costs, the estimated costs of paving a truck road in the Amazon are compared (mentioned in the BR-163/BA) with the estimated costs of building roads in northern Canada, comparing that roads in the Amazon are more expensive. It is therefore to be considered that studies in greater detail would draw the same conclusions, leading to the feasibility of airships in the areas described.

3. IMPROVING LOGISTICS AND MOBILITY WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LTA TECHNOLOGY

Transportation, present in human life since prehistoric times when tribes began to trade for surpluses, turned into logistics to the extent that it became necessary to optimize the combination between the implementation and use of infrastructure with means of transport and distribution, in order to maximize the efficiency of the performance as a whole.

Therefore, associated with the concept of transport and logistics or mobility, there is an evolution of both infrastructure and means of transport that best serve the needs to move people or goods considering the wide variety of regions in terms of geography, population, distance and economic, human and social progress. Henceforth, road or railway technology became refined in unison with that of trucks and railways, or ports and ships, airports and aircraft, and so forth. Such

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technological and commercial matching was simultaneously complemented with environmental, social and economic sustainability goals, as has now been reflected in the declaration of the SDGs.

Technology for logistics and mobility progressively incorporated the appropriate equipment for each type of infrastructure and vehicles for the movement of different product classes. For example, barrel, sack, paddles and finally containers express this technological evolution, as did wagons, trains, trucks, boats and barges and others. Valuable developments exist currently in the logistics of the last mile, such as cargo bikes, and electric boats, to name two examples of potentially disruptive technologies. However, there are needs not yet completely met for territories of special accessibility conditions because of geographical, climatic, orographic and other difficulties, which complicate their connectivity with other territories that are necessary for them to achieve better living conditions and progress for their inhabitants, conditioned by the objectives of sustainable development. In such territories, traditional infrastructure and vehicle combinations are less competent, which do not meet the requirements of the SDGs. In the case of the vast territory of the Amazon, as previously characterized, it is observed that it is very nourished by river connections, but scarce from other traditional land or air connections. The airship comes to complete this technological chain for logistics and mobility, because it has special operating conditions that prove to be efficient means of transport and with high adaptability, provided that the Sustainable Development Goals are to be observed.

According to the background collected in this paper, the incorporation of airships into a transport network not only complements the very function of the mobility of people and goods but, in combination with other means of transport, improves logistical integration. Because of the technological advances described, infrastructure needs, it would be able to adapt and link in the short term to the associated infrastructure and service networks in a region, allowing to increase connectivity and consequently greater logistical and productive integration. Also for remote areas, with difficult accessibility because of an insufficiency in infrastructure, it allows for more efficient management of infrastructure supply.

Moreover, because of its various possible applications, it is not only valuable to incorporate airships for production and commercial logistics and passenger transport, but also for humanitarian operations (as can be seen by the impact of COVID), and for the management of natural resources. Other uses of value include the possibility to provide a telecommunications services and other technological applications to remote areas.

In summary, the technological advancement of current development in airships suggests the need to incorporate them into the design of transport networks for the integration of remote territories, improving accessibility, and allowing an extension of the hinterland. This brings social, economic and environmental benefits at the internal and regional levels, depending on the characteristics of the airship:

• Its operation involves lower investments of nodal infrastructure (model function), being able to reduce the distance between nodal points and also decrease the distances of the last mile .

• It does not require much terrestrial infrastructure, since it links nodes by air.

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• Its speed is estimated between 100 and 350 kilometers per hour and, not having to follow a path defined by roads or waterways, the transit time is reduced.

• It improves accessibility, bringing an efficient alternative for reducing transit time compared to other modes, with the exception of conventional aircraft.

• It reduces energy consumption, allowing to modify the energy consumption matrix for transport; and offers advantages for the reduction in greenhouse gas emission c02.

• Its capacity for cargo lifting ranges between 10 and 50 tons, while model of up to 250 tons are currently under development; it therefore potentially equates or exceeds several truck models and aircraft that serve relatively small communities at the present time. It presents advantages for moving volumetrically higher loads as well.

• It is resilient and adaptable to requirements of demand.

All these positive aspects, in the face of technological advances and mass production, would offset initial investment costs, and even more so if it is considered as an alternative in areas where accessibility depends on conventional aircraft, or on ground vehicles such as trucks and railways that require high-value physical infrastructure with higher completion times.

Contemporaries with the drafting of this report, the world has tested itself against the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of the resilience of transport systems, in order to enable the continuity of the exchange of goods; airship integration would make a significant contribution to the resilience of the system, as well as in areas subject to natural disasters or extreme weather events.

4. CLOSING STATEMENTS

Based on the revision of literature and case studies carried out so far in various parts of the world, this study proposes that the incorporation of airships into the transport matrix is necessary to meet the trend towards more efficient, sustainable and resilient networks. The positive aspects of airships are summarized below for their technological advances to integrate and adapt in the short term.

• Airship engineering design has evolved and continue to do so as transport vehicles, increasing their efficiency and safety with the implementation of new technological developments. Known case studies validate the increased efficiency and lower costs of this transportation system over others, mainly those in northern Canada (full of areas of accessibility conditioned by climate, distances and lower population density). Different possible employments are identified, in addition to freight and passenger transport, such as humanitarian and disaster assistance, scientific research and internet and communications services.

• The airships, by integrating into a mobility and logistics network, in addition to complementing it, can provide: (a) an alternative for connecting remote geographical points, improving network efficiency and a positive impact on territorial integration; (b) a modification of the energy consumption matrix with lower greenhouse gas emissions; c) a greater flexibility and adaptability, and in short timeframes achieve better linkage with other means of transport, thus perfecting the co-modality / synchro-modality (the latter

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adds two attributes to co-modality: the flexibility -adaptive- variable and the selection of means of transport based on real-time information).

• Airships, in addition to contributing to territorial integration, foster the progress and the development of isolated regional economies and new ventures in hard-to-reach areas, with probable lower costs and implementation times than other conventional systems for the same purposes. This stands out for territories such as Amazonas, where traditional infrastructure building is more expensive and subject to greater environmental hazards. The use of airships would entail a better prospect for further economic and social developments, and for employment generation.

• Bilateral and multilateral agreements in the industrial and scientific fields have proved in the last decade to offer novel approaches to productive integration aimed for the manufacture of equipment and inputs, and to achieve solutions in regulatory issues and legal frameworks for transportation. As previously noted, these issues are in development and need to be addressed in the near future.

• Within Latin America, a number of areas are identified, based on demographic distribution, economic activity and infrastructure services for physical and digital communications, in which the incorporation of airships would allow an increase in the efficiency of services to optimize connectivity, and to improve the living standards and opportunities for social progress of its inhabitants; among said areas the Amazon stands out, as well as large areas of Patagonia and also in Mexico/Central America and the Caribbean.

Based on all of the above, the potential of airships to improve logistics and mobility networks in remote regions that are difficult to access is evident. The investigation primarily asserts that it is necessary to propose the incorporation of airships into territorial development, logistics and mobility policies at the national and regional levels, for the internal integration of countries, as well as to do so between border countries. In order to achieve this objective, a short-term progress in research applied to the areas mentioned within Latin America and the Caribbean is recommended in the short term. Field studies should be analyzed: the potential demand, the survey of the existing logistics network (available modes and costs) and the restrictions arising from topography and climate that constrain the mobility of cargo and passengers in a given region. In the comparative measurement, it is necessary to include infrastructure costs and not just operating costs, without ignoring infrastructure costs in each modality.

It is proposed for future case studies to consider environmentally sensitive areas or that involve risks to biodiversity or historical or archaeological goods, desert areas, mountainous terrains, wetlands, with less resilience to hazards of climatic or other nature, that could cause a disruption in connectivity with the rest of the territory of the country or neighboring countries. It is also imperative to analyze technical regulations for the implementation of airships into air traffic management, and for the optimization infrastructure services.

The present study exhibits the fact that there has been a major boost in recent years among researchers, manufacturers and other agents in the transportation industry, which points to a manifestly encouraging scenario, in comparison to previous stages, for the consolidation of the

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airship industry and its implementation in the countries of the Latin American region. A significant step forward may be accomplished by a deeper inquiry about the use of airships for health and medical services operations specifically, taking into account the challenges that are currently being faced by institutions and societies on a global scale in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. Attempts to find out and expound in a clear and detailed manner any and all efforts that might have been carried out by agents of the industry to design a mobile sanitary unit based on the LTA technology may prove worthwhile, as may to explore the technological and engineering precedents they might be built upon. The use of airships for humanitarian and aid operations in the face of disaster events has already been soundly established on the reviewed literature, and it serves as a sufficient basis to attend to the evidenced advantage of airships for providing a sustainable response.

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