TL;DR
- The Crashed Airship Component is on your starting island — look for it on the hill southeast of the lake.
- You need to reach Research Table Tier 3 before you can unlock the Airship Dock.
- Research the Airship Dock using 5x Wood, 5x Iron, and 5x Cloth.
- Build the Airship Dock with 40x Wood, 20x Iron, and 3x Cloth — place it so it hangs halfway over the edge of your island.
- Build the Airship at the dock using 10x Iron, 3x Cloth, and 1x Crashed Airship Component.
- The airship does not use fuel. Press E to dock when you reach a new island.
- Upgrade your range through Traderbot. The first upgrade costs 32x Copper — then return to your dock and confirm it there.
How to find Crashed Airship Components and make an airship in Solarpunk is one of the biggest goals on your starting island. The airship is not just a vehicle — it is the main progression gate in the game. Without it, you cannot reach Traderbot, copper, wheat, quartz, or any of the outer islands. This guide covers every step, from finding the wreck to taking your first flight. If you have not unlocked the map yet, read our guide on how to get and use the map in Solarpunk first — you will need it to navigate.
What Is the Crashed Airship Component in Solarpunk?
The Crashed Airship Component is a unique item that you can only get from one place — a wrecked airship sitting on your starting island. You cannot craft it or buy it. It is a hard requirement when building your first airship. Without it, the dock panel will not let you complete the build even if you have all the iron and cloth ready.
Where to Find the Crashed Airship Component
The crashed airship wreck is on the hill to the southeast of the lake on your starting island. Open your map and look for the elevated terrain in that area. That is where you are heading.
The area can be steep and hard to climb directly. If you find yourself stuck at a cliff face, do not try to jump it. Build your own path upward using Build Mode. Walk down and slightly to the left from the water’s edge until you spot a pair of short cliffs, then build your way up from there.
One tip: look for smoke rising above the area near where you spawned. A crashed airship with smoke billowing from it is a reliable landmark. You may not see it immediately when you start — keep playing normally and check back. Once you spot it, walk up to the wreck and interact with it to collect the Crashed Airship Component.
How to Unlock the Airship Dock in Solarpunk
The Airship Dock sits behind Research Table Tier 3. You cannot skip straight to it.
Step 1: Reach Tier 3 at the Research Table
Here is a quick summary of what unlocks each tier:
- Tier 2 — 1x Build-Hammer + 1x Beeswax
- Tier 3 — 1x Iron Bar
To unlock Tier 3, you need to smelt an Iron Bar. Mine Iron Ore from your starting island using a pickaxe, then process it in a Furnace. The Furnace is a Tier 2 research item, so make sure you build that first. There is a flat iron deposit near the small pond on the south side of the starting area — that deposit replenishes, so mine there for a steady supply.
Step 2: Research the Airship Dock
Once Tier 3 is open, go to your Research Table. Find the Airship Dock in the Tier 3 list. To unlock the blueprint, you need:
- 5x Wood
- 5x Iron
- 5x Cloth
Cloth comes from Cotton. If you are short on Cotton, do a sweep of the starting island after dark — Cotton plants glow at night and are much easier to spot. It is worth growing Cotton on a small farm as you will need Cloth throughout the game.
How to Build the Airship Dock in Solarpunk
With the blueprint unlocked, head to your Craft Table and build the Airship Dock. The materials required are:
- 40x Wood
- 20x Iron
- 3x Cloth
Once built, place the dock at the edge of your island. This part matters. The dock needs to hang halfway over open air. Pick a clean edge with enough room for the structure. If it sits entirely on solid ground, it will not work properly.
How to Make the Airship in Solarpunk
Walk up to the small workstation on the completed Airship Dock. This is where you build the airship itself. You need:
- 10x Iron
- 3x Cloth
- 1x Crashed Airship Component
Have all three ready before you approach the dock workstation. Once you press the build button, your first airship is complete.
Building your first airship also unlocks the Repair Kit recipe. A Repair Kit costs 5x Iron Ingots and fully restores your airship if it takes damage from crashing into obstacles.
How to Use the Airship in Solarpunk
The airship does not use any fuel. Once you board it, you can fly freely within your current travel range.
To board, walk up to the airship and interact with it. You can switch between first-person and third-person views while flying. When you reach a new island, get close to it and press E to dock.
Your travel range is shown as a white circle on the map. You cannot fly beyond that circle — strong winds at the boundary will push you back. To reach more islands, you need to upgrade the airship.
Note: In multiplayer, you cannot share an airship. Each player needs to build their own.
How to Upgrade the Airship and Expand Your Range
Once you are flying, the next goal is to expand your travel range so you can reach more islands. Upgrades come through Traderbot, a floating structure just north of your home island.
The First Airship Range Upgrade: 32 Copper
The early Traderbot trade sequence goes through Watermelon, Cotton, and Beeswax trades before it reaches the range upgrade. The first major upgrade requires 32x Copper. Mine Copper from a copper island within your current range and bring it back for the trade.
Here is the important step that many players miss: the Traderbot trade only gives you the upgrade item. The range circle on your map will not expand automatically. You need to fly home, go to your Airship Dock, and press the Upgrade button there. Only then does the range increase and new islands become reachable.
The Second Airship Range Upgrade: 6 Eggs
After the copper upgrade opens the second ring of islands, Traderbot will eventually ask for 6 Eggs for the next range upgrade. Eggs come from chickens, which need Wheat to feed. Do not cook these first eggs. Save all six for the Traderbot trade. Cooking them before you hit this gate is one of the most common mistakes players make in the mid-game.
After the egg upgrade, the outer islands open up. That is where you will find Carrots, Sunflowers, Cobalt, and Pigs. Cobalt is the main Tier 3 gate, so bring back more than one small stack when you find it.
What to Do After Your First Flight
On your first flight, head north to find Traderbot. Start working through the early trade sequence — Watermelon, Cotton, Beeswax — to unlock the Energy Workbench and begin building toward the 32 Copper upgrade.
When you land on new islands, do not fly back with a full inventory of just one material. Prioritise Wheat and Quartz from the second ring of islands. Quartz smelts into Silicon in the Furnace, which unlocks Traderbot blueprint Tier 2. Wheat feeds your animals and is needed for the egg upgrade chain.
Common Airship Mistakes to Avoid in Solarpunk
- Skipping the crashed wreck. Having enough Iron and Cloth does not mean you can build. The Crashed Airship Component is a hard requirement with no substitute.
- Forgetting the dock upgrade step. Every Traderbot range trade is only half done until you go back to your dock and confirm the upgrade. The map range circle will not move until you do.
- Cooking the first six eggs. Save them for Traderbot. This is the most common mid-game blocker.
- Flying back with a full inventory of one thing. New islands drop useful materials. Take a mix each flight so you are not gated by a single missing resource.
- Placing the dock fully on solid ground. Half of it must overhang open air. Place it right the first time to avoid tearing it down and rebuilding.
All Airship Materials at a Glance
Here is a full summary of what you need to build and upgrade your airship in Solarpunk:
- Research the Airship Dock — 5x Wood, 5x Iron, 5x Cloth
- Build the Airship Dock — 40x Wood, 20x Iron, 3x Cloth
- Build the Airship — 10x Iron, 3x Cloth, 1x Crashed Airship Component
- First range upgrade (via Traderbot) — 32x Copper, then confirm at dock
- Second range upgrade (via Traderbot) — 6x Eggs, then confirm at dock
Final Thoughts
The Crashed Airship Component and the Airship Dock are two separate things, but you need both. Find the wreck on the southeast hill near the lake, work your Research Table up to Tier 3 to unlock the dock, gather your materials, and place the dock correctly at the island edge. Once the airship is built, Solarpunk opens up completely. Use the map to plan your flights, work through Traderbot’s trade chain, and always confirm upgrades at your dock after each Traderbot deal. For help navigating once you are in the air, check out our guide on how to get and use the map in Solarpunk.
