Blimp wars: Are Amazon and Walmart floating warehouses likely to become a reality?

"Oh, the humanity!" As the Hindenburg burst into flames, these three words from US broadcaster, Herb Morrison are widely regarded as the epitaph of the airship era. But this was not the first airship accident of that period. There was a long list – albeit no accident had the same media impact.

What really marked the end of airships, however, was arguably the first Pan American Airways flight across the Pacific which provided a faster, more cost efficient transportation option. That didn't stop countless references in popular culture from a seventies Hollywood movie to Led Zeppelin album covers.

So is that it? Well it appears Amazon and Walmart both have concepts for an airship-drone delivery system. Essentially, the idea is that an airship acts as a floating distribution centre and drone launch pad. It would move along a delivery route with drones making deliveries to customers along the way. So, is it likely to happen?