Moored balloon

A moored balloon is an inflated fabric structure, often shaped like an airship and usually filled with helium that is restrained by a cable attached to the ground or a vehicle. Moored balloons differ from airships and free balloons in that airships and free balloons are both free flying.

Moored balloons are sometimes called aerostats. However the term aerostat can also be used to refer to all lighter than air aircraft. In this broader sense, moored balloons are a type of aerostat.

Moored balloons come in two forms:

• 1) Traditional sausage shaped (i.e. blimp shaped) with fins to stabilise them, but relying upon helium alone for lift
• 2) Simple round balloons relying on helium alone, but without stabilisation, which sometimes are used to make passengers fly, or support advertisement, like the aerophile balloons