Floating giant over San Francisco leaves crowds awed

Dubai: San Francisco residents were left both awestruck and perplexed on Tuesday morning as a sleek, massive white airship glided across the city’s skyline. The mysterious craft was soon identified as Pathfinder 1, a cutting-edge zero-emission airship developed by LTA (Lighter Than Air) Research, a company backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

According to LTA, Pathfinder 1 is part of its broader mission to revive lighter-than-air technology for sustainable cargo transport, disaster relief and humanitarian aid. Social media buzzed after content creator César Concepción Salza posted a viral video showing the enormous blimp drifting out from behind a downtown high-rise, sparking widespread curiosity online.

At roughly 400 feet (124 metres) long, the airship features titanium hubs, carbon-fibre-reinforced tubes and a laminated polymer shell. Twelve electric motors power it and use helium for lift, making it significantly quieter and cleaner than conventional aircraft.

The sighting came as LTA ramps up its outdoor test flights from Moffett Federal Airfield in Silicon Valley. While described as a “proof-of-concept,” Pathfinder 1 points to a potential new era in aviation, where significant, fuel-efficient airships could transport cargo or deliver aid to regions with limited infrastructure.

For many San Franciscans, the scene was fleeting but unforgettable — the bright white craft hovered gracefully in the morning sky before fading toward the Bay, a silent symbol of the giants of the sky returning.