Prof. Dr. Barry E. Prentice

Prof. Barry Prentice is a professor of transportation economics at the University of Manitoba. and is widely recognized as an expert in the field of transportation and logistics, and one of his areas of expertise is lighter-than-air (LTA) transport technologies, such as blimps and airships. Prof. Prentice has been involved in several initiatives related to LTA transport technologies over the years. For example, he was a founding member of ISO Polar, that was established in 2006 to promote the use of airships for transportation and other applications in Manitoba and across Canada.

In 2011, Prof. Prentice founded Buoyant Aircraft Systems International (BASI) as the first airship research centre in Canada. In 2018, he won the CanInfra Challenge People’s Choice, Award, for his “Electric Airship Transportation System” proposal. Professor Prentice has published over 20 papers on various aspects of airship market applications and economics. He has also conducted extensive research on environmental benefits of airships for transporting goods and people. He has argued that airships have several advantages over other forms of transport, including their ability to carry heavy loads over long distances with minimal environmental impact.

About ISO Polar Airships

ISO Polar Airships a not-for-profit organization, that was founded in 2005 to encourage the use of cargo airships in Northern Canada. Like many new ideas, the rebirth of airship technology was met with skepticism and doubt. This seems to be changing as airship activity expands around the world and the need to access remote areas increases.

ISO Polar serves as a clearinghouse to exchange information and to sponsor public events where new airship developments can be assessed. The organization also serves as a collective voice of the airship community to seek the cooperation and partnership with governments and supply chain participants.