Golden Gate Blimp Co.
Concept illustration of a blimp drone with an orange ad panel inside an arena Concept illustration

In development · Advertising blimp drones · San Francisco, CA

Your brand, floating above the crowd.

Every eye in the room looks up. We're building branded blimp drones for arenas, malls, trade shows, and grand openings across the Bay Area, so your message is the one people remember. Our first indoor prototype is next.

Join the early list See the concepts
  • Indoor & outdoor flights
  • Custom banner wraps
  • Prototype next

What we do

Moving billboards, at eye-catching altitude

A slow-gliding blimp with your banner turns heads in a way a static sign can't. Here's what we're building toward, indoors first.

Concept illustrationConcept illustration: white and sky-blue blimp drone with an orange banner in a mall atrium
Indoor

Indoor blimps first

Quiet, helium-lifted blimps sized for big indoor spaces. They're designed to drift over concourses and crowds without getting in anyone's way.

  • Shopping malls & atriums
  • Arenas & stadium concourses
  • Trade shows & convention halls
  • Product launches & corporate events
Concept illustrationConcept illustration: blimp drone with an orange banner over a San Francisco storefront grand opening
Outdoor

Outdoor blimps later

Your banner above the street, the lot, or the festival grounds. Visible from blocks away and great in photos and social posts.

  • Grand openings & ribbon cuttings
  • Car dealership sales events
  • Festivals, fairs & outdoor events
  • Stadium & tailgate activations*

*Outdoor service comes after the indoor launch and FAA Part 107 certification. Every outdoor flight will depend on airspace, weather, and venue approval.

How it works

How it will work: three steps to liftoff

  1. 1

    Tell us about your event

    Share the venue, date, and audience. We confirm the space, the airspace, and the right blimp for it.

  2. 2

    We design your banner

    Send your logo and message. We prep a banner wrap and send a mockup for you to approve.

  3. 3

    We fly, you get seen

    Our pilot and crew will arrive, set up, and fly. You get the attention, plus photos and video afterward.

Product & engineering

The fleet we're designing

Ten parametric 3D engineering concepts, from a 2 m conference blimp to a 7 m outdoor airship, plus the shared hardware behind them. These are design concepts in development: nothing shown here has been built or flown yet. Our first physical prototype, the starter indoor blimp, comes next.

Arena LED Blimp, 5 mDrag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom
Gondola / Avionics PodShared across the indoor concepts
Vectored Thruster Pod127 mm ducted fan, ±45° tilt
3D engineering concept render: Indoor Blimp, 3 m
Concept 01 · not yet built

Indoor Blimp, 3 m

Starter indoor blimp for malls and trade shows.

  • Envelope 3.0 m × 1.1 m dia
  • Volume ≈1.74 m³
  • Ad area 1.2 × 0.6 m per side
  • Net lift estimate ≈0.9–1.1 kg before hardware
3D engineering concept render: Arena LED Blimp, 5 m
Concept 02 · not yet built

Arena LED Blimp, 5 m

Arena-scale blimp with edge-lit LED ad panels and an X-tail.

  • Envelope 5.0 m × 1.7 m dia
  • Volume ≈6.95 m³
  • LED panel 2.0 × 0.93 m per side
  • Net lift estimate ≈4.5–5.2 kg before hardware
3D engineering concept render: Conference Blimp, 2 m
Concept 03 · not yet built

Conference Blimp, 2 m

Compact blimp for booths and conference halls.

  • Envelope 2.0 m × 0.76 m dia
  • Volume ≈0.56 m³
  • Logo area 0.82 × 0.41 m per side
  • Net lift estimate ≈0.26–0.31 kg (marginal)
3D engineering concept render: Tethered Aerostat, 6 m
Concept 04 · not yet built

Tethered Aerostat, 6 m

Outdoor tethered display aerostat on a powered winch base.

  • Envelope 6.0 m × 2.4 m dia
  • Volume ≈16.2 m³
  • Ad area 2.6 × 1.36 m per side
  • Net lift estimate ≈7.5–9.1 kg before hardware
3D engineering concept render: Outdoor Powered Blimp, 7 m
Concept 05 · not yet built

Outdoor Powered Blimp, 7 m

Outdoor blimp with vectored thrust pods, nav lights and Remote ID.

  • Envelope 7.0 m × 2.0 m dia
  • Volume ≈13.5 m³
  • Ad area 2.8 × 1.15 m per side
  • Net lift estimate ≈6.1–7.4 kg before hardware
3D engineering concept render: Gondola / Avionics Pod
Concept 06 · not yet built

Gondola / Avionics Pod

Shared avionics pod: flight controller, battery, Remote ID, GPS.

  • Pod 420 × 180 × 130 mm
  • 4S LiPo bay 140 × 45 × 34 mm
  • Remote ID module + antenna
  • GPS/compass on 75 mm mast
3D engineering concept render: Vectored Thruster Pod
Concept 07 · not yet built

Vectored Thruster Pod

127 mm ducted fan on a servo tilt mount.

  • Duct 127 mm ID × 75 mm long
  • 3-blade 5 in carbon prop
  • Tilt range ±45°
  • 16 mm carbon arm, split clamp
3D engineering concept render: X-Tail Fin Set
Concept 08 · not yet built

X-Tail Fin Set

Four strap-on fins with independent control surfaces.

  • 0.75 m root chord, 0.50 m span
  • Fins at 45° (X-tail)
  • 110 mm control surfaces, ±10°
  • 4 independent servo pods
3D engineering concept render: Ground Station & Transport Kit
Concept 09 · not yet built

Ground Station & Transport Kit

Helium fill, ground control and transport in one kit.

  • Cart 0.76 m wide, 2 helium cylinders
  • 3-port inflation manifold
  • RC transmitter + tablet GCS case
  • Transport case 1.25 × 0.55 × 0.42 m
3D engineering concept render: Clip-On Ad-Wrap System
Concept 10 · not yet built

Clip-On Ad-Wrap System

Swappable framed ad panels on bonded keder tracks.

  • Panels 0.80 m × ~0.93 m arc
  • 60 × 60 mm snap clips, 3 per edge
  • Swap panels without deflating
  • Artwork maps 1:1 to panel UVs

All dimensions are design targets. Lift figures are rough helium-lift estimates (≈1.0–1.1 kg per m³ gross, minus an assumed envelope weight) and haven't been flight-verified. Usable payload will be lower once the gondola, thrusters, fins, battery and banners are added.

Hardware stack

One modular platform, many sizes

The concepts share common building blocks, so the design work on one size carries over to the others. Everything below is in design. None of it is a finished product.

01

Envelope

Helium-filled, low-drag hull sized from 2 m to 7 m. Non-flammable lifting gas for indoor use, with material chosen to fit the weight budget.

02

Vectored thrusters

Ducted fans on servo tilt mounts (±45° in the concept) for slow, precise maneuvering, with shrouded props for safety around people.

03

Avionics gondola + Remote ID

Flight controller, battery bay, RC receiver, GPS/compass, and a Remote ID broadcast module, designed in from the start for FAA rules.

04

X-tail

Four strap-on fins at 45° with independent control surfaces, for stability and ground clearance.

05

Ground station

Transport kit with helium cylinders, a regulated inflation manifold, a tablet ground-control case, and battery charging.

06

Clip-on ad-wrap system

Framed print panels that snap onto bonded tracks, so a client's artwork can be swapped on the ground without deflating.

Ad packages

Choose your flight plan

Planned launch packages. Pricing is still being set and every event is different, so we quote each one. Join the early list and we'll reach out as bookings open.

Indoor Day

One indoor blimp, one venue, one day of flights.

  • Indoor helium blimp + pilot
  • Your custom banner
  • Setup & teardown
  • Ideal for malls, trade shows, launches
Request a quote
Planned

Event Weekend

Multi-day coverage for festivals, sales events, and big openings.

  • Indoor or outdoor flights
  • Multiple flight sessions per day
  • Banner design support
  • Event photos & video clips
Request a quote

Custom / Sponsorship

Season-long arena deals, multi-venue tours, and sponsor programs.

  • Recurring or multi-site flights
  • Rotating sponsor banners
  • Fully branded blimp options
  • Built around your goals
Request a quote

Instant estimate

What might your flight cost?

Pick a package and get an introductory estimate from our draft launch pricing. It isn't a quote: our team confirms the final price for your venue and date.

Package
Venue
Add-ons (priced in your final quote)

Founding Sponsors

Be first under the first blimp

We're lining up a small group of Founding Sponsors for our first indoor events once the prototype is flight-proven and insured. Joining is free and there's no commitment: we'll reach out with dates and introductory pricing before anything is booked.

Safety & compliance

Safety comes first, on every flight

The standards we're building to and will hold every flight to:

FAA-compliant outdoor flights

Outdoor flights will be flown by an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot, within FAA airspace rules and any authorizations a site requires.

Indoor-safe helium blimps

Indoor blimps will use non-flammable helium and are designed to be light, slow, and soft-bodied around people.

Insured operations

Every booked flight will be covered by commercial drone liability insurance, and we'll provide certificates of insurance to venues on request.

Venue-first planning

We'll check each site in advance, agree on flight zones with venue staff, and stay on the ground if the weather or conditions aren't right.

See your brand in the sky

Preview your banner on a blimp

Type a message or add your logo to see it on our concept blimp, then download the image. Your file stays in your browser: nothing is uploaded.

Banner background
Scene

Concept render, not a photo of a built aircraft. Final banner size depends on the blimp model (about 1.2 × 0.6 m to 2.8 × 1.15 m per side in our concepts).

Interactive concept preview

Fly your ad over SF

Type your brand, pick colors or add a logo, then choose a tour or draw your own route. Your logo stays in your browser: nothing is uploaded.

Loading the interactive map… Open the full-screen version

Interactive concept preview — simulated flight path. Real outdoor flights require FAA Part 107 authorization, LAANC approval near SFO/OAK airspace, and suitable weather. We don't fly these routes today.

Engineering concept render of the 5 m arena blimp

Interactive Lab · concepts

Configure a concept blimp in 3D

Recolor the envelope, type your own banner, tilt the thrusters and explode the parts. Then look inside GGB-FC1, the custom flight-control board we're designing for our blimps. Everything there is a design in progress; nothing has been built or tested yet.

Open the Interactive Lab

Engineering · GGB-35

GGB-35 concept drawing set

Ten engineering sheets for our indoor concept blimp: envelope, lift and mass, gondola, thrusters, fins, wiring, ad payload and wind limits. These are design drawings only. Nothing shown has been built or flight-tested yet.

Concept — not for construction · Rev A Not flight-tested

Concept render, not hardware footage
Exploded view · GGB-35 · Rev A

Calculated estimates · Rev A

Envelope volume
2.425 m³
Fineness ratio L/D
2.92
Dry mass, indoor baseline
2135 g
Lift margin @ 1.0 kg/m³
290 g

Figures are calculated design estimates from the drawing set, not measured or flight-verified.

Download drawing set (PDF, 379 KB)

Concept — not for construction · Rev A. Click a sheet to view full size.

Roadmap

Where we are today

We're pre-prototype. Here is the honest status of each milestone.

  1. Done

    Concept designs

    Ten parametric 3D concepts with sizing and rough lift estimates.

  2. Done

    Website & sales kit

    Brand, website, and event packages ready for early conversations.

  3. Planned

    First indoor test flight

    Controlled indoor testing to check lift, handling, and endurance.

  4. Planned

    First paid indoor event

    A first indoor activation once the prototype is flight-proven and insured.

  5. Planned

    FAA Part 107 & outdoor launch

    Part 107 certification and airspace approvals, then outdoor flights.

What drives us

  • Engineering-first
    Mechanical-engineering roots: we're designing and building our own aircraft.
  • Drone-building experience
    Hands-on experience taking drones from first sketch to working aircraft.
  • San Francisco based
    Local to the Bay Area and ready for venues across the region.

About us

Built by engineers who love things that fly

Golden Gate Blimp Co. is a San Francisco company with a mechanical-engineering background and real drone-building experience, including taking an agricultural drone from early design to a working aircraft.

We're bringing that same hands-on engineering to advertising, aiming for well-built blimp drones, careful flight planning, and a simple experience for every client, from a single mall activation to a full season at the arena.

Start a conversation

For investors

Indoor first, then the open sky

Brands at events compete for attention in crowded, noisy spaces. A slow, quiet blimp overhead is a rare kind of ad that people stop and look up at, and that they photograph and share.

The wedge: indoor first. FAA Part 107 rules cover outdoor flights, not flights inside buildings. Starting indoors at malls, arenas, trade shows and corporate events means a controlled environment, smaller and cheaper aircraft, and a faster route to first revenue. Outdoor operations are added once the platform is proven.

Where we are: pre-prototype. Concept designs and the sales kit are done, and the first indoor prototype is next. We're talking with early supporters who want to help fund the prototype and the first flights.

We share a fuller deck, the draft budget, and the technical details on request.

Read the investor one-pager

FAQ

Questions venues and sponsors ask

Do indoor flights need FAA approval?

Generally, no. The FAA regulates the national airspace, and flying fully inside an enclosed building is generally outside it, so indoor flights don't require an FAA Part 107 certificate. Venues still set their own rules, and we plan every indoor flight with venue staff.

What about outdoor flights?

Outdoor flights of a powered blimp drone are commercial drone operations, so they'll be flown by an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot, with Remote ID and any airspace authorization a site needs (for example LAANC near airports). Outdoor service is planned after our indoor launch and isn't available yet. Tethered, unpowered aerostats fall under separate rules (Part 101), including limits near airports.

Is helium safe indoors?

Helium is non-flammable and non-toxic, which is why we use it. Like any compressed gas, cylinders need to be secured and handled correctly, and large releases in a small closed room should be avoided. Our designs are light, slow and soft-bodied, with shrouded propellers.

How long does setup take?

We'll confirm this with prototype testing. Setup includes inflation, attaching the banner, and a pre-flight check, so we plan to arrive well before doors open and agree the timing with your venue in advance.

Do I need my venue's approval?

Yes. We only fly with the venue's permission. We'll work with the venue on flight zones, ceiling height, HVAC drafts and timing, and provide a certificate of insurance on request once we're booking events.

What banner sizes are possible?

In our current concepts, the print area per side ranges from about 1.2 × 0.6 m on the 3 m indoor blimp to about 2.8 × 1.15 m on the 7 m outdoor concept. These are design targets that may change as we build and test.

Do you take deposits? What about refunds?

We aren't taking bookings or payments yet. Joining the waitlist or requesting an estimate is free and carries no obligation. Deposit and cancellation terms will be written into each quote before you agree to anything.

Has the blimp been built yet?

Not yet. We're pre-prototype: the designs on this site are engineering concepts, and our first indoor prototype is next. We'll share progress with our waitlist.

Get a quote

Get on the early list

We're pre-launch and building our first indoor prototype. Tell us about your event and we'll follow up about timing and a proposal as bookings open.

  • No obligation, no deposit
  • Indoor and outdoor venues
  • Bay Area based

Prefer email? hello@example.com

Venue*

Get a quote

Concept — not for construction · Rev A