
Helium gas has almost the same lifting capacity and is not flammable, unlike hydrogen, but is rare and relatively expensive. In early dirigibles, the lifting gas used was hydrogen, due to its high lifting capacity and ready availability.

Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air. An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power.Vzducholoď mívá obvykle doutníkový tvar, a zpravidla bývá vybavena jedním či více motory.

