System for providing buoyancy for a vehicle on a body of water

A buoyancy assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a support structure having an elongated body defining a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the support structure to attach to an aircraft;
• a first shell having an upper first shell end and a lower first shell end, the upper first shell end coupled to the support structure between the first end and the second end, the lower first shell end coupled to the support structure adjacent the second end, the first shell having a first deflectable portion between the upper first shell end and the lower first shell end, the first deflectable portion to move relative to the support structure;
• a second shell having an upper second shell end and a lower second shell end, the upper second shell end coupled to the support structure between the first end and the second end, the lower second shell end coupled to the support structure adjacent the second end, the second shell having a second deflectable portion between the upper second shell end and the lower second shell end, the second deflectable portion to move relative to the support structure;
• a first actuator coupled to the support structure and the first shell, the first actuator movable between a first retracted position and a first extended position, in the first retracted position, the first actuator is to cause the first deflectable portion of the first shell to move toward the support structure, in the first extended position, the first actuator is to cause the first deflectable portion of the first shell to move away from the support structure;
• and
• a second actuator coupled to the support structure and the second shell, the second actuator movable between a second retracted position and a second extended position, in the second retracted position, the second actuator is to cause the second deflectable portion of the second shell to move toward the support structure, in the second extended position, the second actuator is to cause the second deflectable portion of the second shell to move away from the support structure.

A buoyancy assembly for an aircraft, the buoyancy assembly comprising:

• a support structure having a first support structure end to couple to the aircraft and a second support structure end opposite the first support structure end to depend from the aircraft;
• a shell having an upper shell end and a lower shell end, the lower shell end pivotally coupled to the second support structure end;
• and
• a spray skirt having a first spray skirt end and a second spray skirt end, the first spray skirt end pivotally coupled to the support structure between the first support structure end and the second support structure end, the second spray skirt end coupled to the upper shell end, wherein the shell is deformable between a retracted state and an deployed state, wherein in the retracted state, the upper shell end is adjacent the support structure, and wherein in the deployed state, the upper shell end is spaced away from the support structure.