Solar-Powered Unmanned Airship Logistics Based on the Prevailing Westerlies: Cost-Time Comparison and Comprehensive Advantages Over the German Canal Model

This paper proposes a new global green logistics system using solar-powered unmanned airships driven by the natural prevailing westerlies, which consists of long-endurance trunk airships and small pickup-sized connecting airships. It systematically compares the transportation cost, time efficiency, ecological impact, investment demand and regional coverage of the airship model with traditional modes such as sea freight, trucks, China–Europe Railway Express and the German-style inland canal model. The study proves that the westerly airship system has obvious subversive advantages: zero land occupation, zero ecological damage, ultra-low cost, ultra-high speed, full regional coverage and no need for large-scale infrastructure construction. For China, this model can completely replace the need to imitate Germany in building large-scale inland canals, effectively solve the logistics bottleneck in inland areas, and reshape the industrial layout between coastal and inland regions. This research provides a revolutionary, low-carbon and sustainable solution for the future development of global logistics.