Return to MAIN PAGE

US LTA in conjunction with Inwave Corporation has developed a full color, photo imagery nightsign and banner system for the Model 138S Airship. This "SKYMAX" nightsign allows US LTA to offer customers and advertisers a variety of nightsign and banner possibilities to surpass all existing advertising displays in the sky.

SKYMAX BASIC SPECIFICATIONS

Display Dimensions :                                22' x 60' / side
Color Points:                                              180 horz. x 55 vert. (9,900 per side)
Colors:                                                         Full Color per Point (optical fiber)
Pitch                                                            4" x 4.75 " (9,900)/side
Image Type                                                 Photographic Quality Film
Image Qty                                                   16+ images cycling continuous
Total Weight                                               870 lbs
Brightness                                                  Sunset/ Nighttime
Power Requirement                                  3.5 KVA (35 amps @ 110 VAC)

The standard SKYMAX nightsign configuration utilizes a custom painted airship envelope combined with attached nightsign banners (also paintable and removable). By using banners instead of attaching directly to the envelope the SKYMAX accomplishes optimum space utilization of the airship for long viewing distance and by allowing for easy removal, the best utilization of lift when the nightsign is not desired or needed.

The SKYMAX nightsign is an exclusive and distinct system (patent and patent pending) capitalizing on the technology of optical fiber cable which conducts full color light from its projection source to its endpoint.  In this manner several configurations can be attained using different styles of projectors, from film, to video, to laser graphic which are underdevelopment.  In addition as fiber optic cable weighs a fraction of comparable electronic systems more pixels can be added without significant weight penalty.

The signs are configured of durable materials similar to the envelope in three 22' tall x 20' wide sections per side. Each nightsign panel is constructed to keep maintenance simple and at a minimum while ensuring high reliability. The three banners total 9,900 pixels per side with each pixel or point capable of full color projection and therefore presenting a clean, high resolution image.  Imagery is created on computer and output onto high durability film loaded into 3 projectors per side.   Imagery can be created and loaded up to just prior to flight to permit as much flexibility as needed.

Additional nightsign banner configurations are possible to customize logos or trademarks for special events.

The complete SKYMAX system for the Model 138S was Type Certified by the FAA as Supplemental Type Certificate SA5962NM.

OTHER  AIRSHIPS' NIGHTSIGN PROBLEMS

There are several types of airships in existence today working for clients in corporate promotion and public relations activities. During promotional work,  these airships are required to fly both day and night operations and are often used to appear on television for the purposes of network exposure which adds significant value to the program.

During daylight activity the sponsor relies on the visual impression of the airship and it's emotional appeal on the viewer to garner attention and fascination. The results are impressive viewer exposures and retention, and invaluable PR exposure including news broadcasts, newspaper photos, rides, television appearances and the like.

During nighttime flights which are often required for PR opportunities like sporting events the airship relies on the nighttime impression of the nightsign or the glowing envelope to garner the same level of attention and promote the company's image or products and deliver announcements in real-time.

The existing nightsign and glowing (internally illuminated) technologies do not match  the daylight impressions.  Systems comprising a matrix array of lamps with colored lenses or LEDs do not offer quality color, high resolution images and reliable graphic programmability. Internally illuminated airships are impressive but weak at delivering any kind of impact message and the effect is lost after a short period.  In addition internal illumination is not changeable and when required is very expensive process. As a result the present systems do not adequately complement the impact of the airship during the day and presents a corporate image not in standing with the sponsor's reputation.

In addition, the state of the lamp technologies for the matrix systems renders a system that is heavier than necessary and reduces the airships payload capacity for passengers and auxiliary equipment as it is often not removable. With respect to upgrade ability and maintenance the system requires a costly removal and upgrade of lamps or cable.
 

US LTA & INWAVE'S APPROACH WITH SKYMAX

The Inwave technical approach utilizes the benefits of an emerging technology in fiber optic imaging that, due to its inherent light conducting properties reduces and removes many of the technical problems of lamp based systems. The SKYMAX approach provides a display of maximum color graphic versatility, with an emphasis on brightness.

I.    BACKGROUND OF SKYMAX

Inwave's unique approach to night sign technology began with the desire for an airship display which could present graphic images significantly different from those produced by existing displays. Work began to research and develop a display technology capable of presenting near photographic quality, full color imagery to viewing audiences at distances of up to a mile.

Several technologies including LED and alternative light sources were evaluated for potential application based on performance goals and the airships' lift, payload constraints, and flight/safety characteristics. Of all those evaluated, optical fiber had the greatest potential as a lightweight, efficient display medium. At about 1/6th the weight of an equivalent amount of copper wire, plastic optical fiber could theoretically provide more picture elements (pixels) per pound than a conventional system. Additionally, because the optical fiber "conducts" the entire spectrum, each pixel could display full color. Other advantages such as lowered maintenance, removability, and ease of programming could be realized as well.

In June of 1992, after several years of product development, a pair of prototype displays measuring 22 by 60 feet each were flown and tested on the US-LTA 138S airship, 001, "Oregon Spirit" for the first time. The display easily achieved the original performance goals and for the first time, an airship could display changeable, true color, near photographic quality images at distances of a mile or more. Additionally, power requirements of less than 3000 watts (25 amps, 120VAC) showed optical fiber to be a truly efficient display medium. Inwave received a Supplemental Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Agency in May 1993 for the optical fiber based nightsign system and has patents and patents pending for the technology. Currently the only licensed users are GoodYear for the GZ-22 and US LTA Corporation who successfully applied SkyMax; during the Bigfoot Pizza Hut promotion. The nightsign received a large amount of attention during the tour including international coverage on CNN. Although successful, this airship crashed in New York City and as a result the original nightsign was destroyed.  Inwave went on to produce several installations based on this pioneering technology in a worldwide marketplace for a range of clients in advertising, sports and entertainment.

II. TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

The display used on the Model 138S installation utilized 9,900 plastic optical fibers to relay picture information from 3 centrally located projectors to the display surface (see base of each panel above) . Each of the optical fiber endpoints is fixed at a specific grid location on the display and directed away from the airship towards the viewing audience. On the Skymax; system for the 138S airship, the fiber endpoints (which form the actual pixels) were spaced approximately 4" apart. The opposite end points of the optical fibers are gathered into an array that exactly matches the grid forming the display only much smaller. An image projected onto this small array of endpoints is carried by the optical fibers to the opposite ends where each fiber projects its' portion of the image towards the audience. In the process, the projected image is enlarged over 10,000 times; what begins as a 15 in.sq. image becomes a 1200 ft.sq. image on the sides of the airship.

The display banners are actually a passive device requiring no electrical power to function, the optical fiber is a "conductor" of light and actually replaces the wiring and lamps of conventional systems. Without thousands of lamps to burn out and replace or wiring to repair, maintenance is dramatically reduced and engineering requirements for lightning, EMI, etc.. are negated. In the case of the other light bulb systems currently in use this represents over 8,000 lamps or LEDs, wires and conduit. With SKYMAX, the projectors are solely responsible for producing the intensely illuminated images seen on the display. Currently, the brightest presentations are produced by equipment which display transitioning, full color images. The original Skymax system used three synchronized projectors per side, each utilizing large format transparency film and having a capacity for 16 images. A simple operators console provides projector controls and diagnostic indicators. 

Future upgrades will include a nighttime video system and a daylight readable graphic projector under development (see Inwave,  www.inwavecorp.com ).
 

SUMMARY

Through the implementation of the SKYMAX NIGHTSIGN program US  LTA is able to offer a bold airship promotional vehicle to airship operators and their sponsors creating excitement now and into the future.
 

If we can answer or any questions or comments about SKYMAX please feel free to contact us.

Return to Top

Return to Main Page