Throughout the career of the Imperial German Navy Airship LZ 31 took part in 36 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea.

This included marking minefields and one raid on the United Kingdom, dropping 700 kg (1,500 lb) of bombs.

After the raid Zeppelin LZ 31 set off to find the attacking naval force the aircraft came from.

After retrieving the aircraft, the Navy force attempted to return to base but HMS Empress was left behind.

[1] On 16 September 1916 the airship was in its hangar at Fuhlsbüttel undergoing inflation when it caught fire and was destroyed with Zeppelin LZ 36.