why use an airship?

The airship is an ideal stable platform from which to conduct a low-level survey. It can be adapted to carry a range of equipment and instruments, either flying low-and-slow or even maintaining station if required.

The airship can also take best advantage of the light conditions to photograph the lines and drawings which are shallow and do not show up well on satellite images. It will also provide the opportunity to carry equipment and experiments devised by students and school children and some may even get the opportunity to fly in the airship as part of their studies.

Crucially, given the fragile nature of the Nazca site, the airship is environmentally non-intrusive and the entire survey will be conducted without leaving a single footprint on the surface.

There have been previous attempts at aerial surveys at Nazca, most notably by the Peruvian air force in the 1960s, but recent advances in remote sensing technology should produce the most comprehensive survey ever attempted.

The lines are almost imperceptible from the ground - even in this photo from the 15 m viewing tower they are hard to see.

The airship will provide a stable platform for photo-graphic and special geophysics remote sensing equipment.