Getting help when something goes wrong on the land can depend on having a reliable connection.

A University of Manitoba research team is developing airships that could bring high-speed internet to hunters, trappers and search crews in remote northern areas.

The work is getting international recognition, with the researcher behind it named one of 15 finalists worldwide for the Falling Walls Engage Award in Berlin.

Professor of aerospace engineering Dr. Phil Ferguson explains how the airships connect people on the ground.

Ferguson says the technology could help crews searching for someone stranded or injured, giving them a stronger connection while working far from their communities.

To hear more, tune into Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.