An American airship from 1931
An airship or dirigible is a lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust. Unlike other aerodynamic aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, airships and hot air balloons stay aloft by filling a large cavity, such as a balloon, with a lifting gas.
Airships are popular forms on transport in steampunk media. Varieties of airships vary widely. One of the main types of airship is known as non-rigid, but is commonly called a blimp. There are uncommon in steampunk media, which prefers a more industrial, mechanical aesthetic. Semi-rigid are slightly more common and are slightly larger than non-rigid types and are also contain an internal support structure. Rigid airships are the most common in steampunk media. They are a great deal larger than their softer counterparts and can cover greater distances and have the ability to preform transoceanic travel. Their use in the real world fell drastically after the Hindenburg disaster, on which the film Zeppelin is based.