Lighter-than-air vehicle with relative drift navigation

A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle, comprising:

• a main body;
• a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system that is disposed in the main body;
• a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system that is disposed in the main body;
• a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device;
• and
• an altitude adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the LTA vehicle for changing a position of the LTA vehicle based on wind information that is received from the wind variation detection system.

A lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle with dish antenna, comprising:

• a main body;
• a first wind probing device disposed at a first probe position, wherein the first wind probing device is in communication, via a first probe communications link, with a body communication system that is disposed in the main body;
• a second wind probing device disposed at a second probe position, wherein the second wind probing device is in communication, via a second probe communications link, with the body communication system that is disposed in the main body;
• a wind variation detection system configured to determine wind information, including at least a wind direction, for the first wind probing device and the second wind probing device;
• and
• an altitude adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of at least a portion of the LTA vehicle for changing a position of the LTA vehicle based on wind information that is received from the wind variation detection system,
• wherein a portion of an exterior of the main body is made of a reflective material, wherein said portion of the exterior of the body has a substantially parabolic shape of a reflector for a dish antenna, and wherein another portion of the exterior of the main body is non-reflective so radio waves pass through the another portion of the exterior of the main body.