Airship diffusion in Swedish agriculture Sociotechnical barriers and opportunities

Abstract

Agriculture is under increasing pressure to adapt to climate change while reducing its environmental impact. One of the challenges is to maintain or increase food production without intensifying soil degradation, emissions, or fossil dependency. This thesis applies the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework in combination with scenario analysis to explore the potential for implementing lighter-than-air technology in Swedish agriculture. Semi-structured interviews were complemented by literature research and a bibliometric analysis. The study examines the current state of the Swedish agricultural system and the emerging airship market by identifying possible configurations for market integration. Findings show that airships have potential applications such as lifting heavy objects, transporting, spraying pesticides, and monitoring. Key drivers and barriers were identified, focusing on the capabilities and willingness of various societal actors to adopt lighter-than-air technology in agriculture. Diffusion is currently constrained by financial and human resource mobilisation, critical components, regulations and limited legitimation and collaborations. Four future scenarios were developed, covering different ownership models and degrees of functionality of airships. The thesis discusses policy measures that could facilitate the diffusion of LTA technology within the Swedish agricultural sector.