noun
- aircraft that derive their lift from buoyant gas rather than aerodynamic forces, such as balloons and airships
Usage: technical; aviation
Examples
- Military aerostats are used for surveillance and communication purposes.
- Weather balloons are common examples of aerostats used in meteorology.
- The airship was one of the first aerostats to carry passengers commercially.
- Aerostats rely on helium or hot air for their buoyancy.
- Unlike helicopters, aerostats don’t need engines to stay aloft.
- The festival featured colorful aerostats floating peacefully in the sky.