Airships proposed for homeland security.

• Author: Foster, Sharon
• Position: Tech Talk - Brief Article

Airship Management Services, headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., is pro posing to modify one of its airships for immediate use in homeland-security operations.

Because of its enormous size, an airship can accommodate sensors normally too large for helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft, according to AMS President George Spyrou.

Specifically, Spyrou wants to convert a Skyship 600 airship for security and surveillance duties. Built by an AMS subsidiary, Skycruiser Corporation, Skyships are 200 feet long, 67 feet tall and capable of maximum speeds of 50 knots.

Skyships are used primarily for corporate advertising--with clients such as Fuji Film and Budweiser--and sightseeing...