Lighter-than-air aircraft and related methods for powering the same
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorWilliam Robert Palmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lighter-than-air aircraft includes a gas envelope for containing a buoyant gas, and a solar panel is carried by a predetermined portion of the gas envelope. A solar sensor is used for determining a direction of the sun. A propulsion system carried by the gas envelope orients the gas envelope so that the solar panel is oriented in the direction of the sun based upon the solar sensor. A navigation controller cooperates with the propulsion system to move the lighter-than-air aircraft along a desired flight path while the solar panel is oriented in the direction of the sun.
Claims17
A lighter-than-air aircraft comprising:
- a gas envelope for containing a buoyant gas;
- a support structure within said gas envelope for moving said gas envelope from a retracted position to an expanded position, said support structure comprising
- a hoop-truss member,
- a control member positioned above and coupled to said hoop-truss member, and
- a first plurality of tie-downs between said control member and a portion of said gas envelope positioned above said control member, with a length of said first plurality of tie-downs being increased as said gas envelope moves from the retracted position to the expanded position;
- at least one solar panel carried by a predetermined portion of said gas envelope;
- at least one solar sensor for determining a direction of the sun;
- and
- a propulsion system carried by said gas envelope for orienting said gas envelope so that said at least one solar panel is oriented in the direction of the sun based upon said at least one solar sensor to thereby increase solar energy collection efficiency.
A lighter-than-air aircraft comprising:
- a gas envelope for containing a buoyant gas and being symmetrical about a vertical axis;
- a support structure within said gas envelope for moving said gas envelope from a retracted position to an expanded position, said support structure comprising
- a hoop-truss member,
- a control member positioned above and coupled to said hoop-truss member, and
- a first plurality of tie-downs between said control member and a portion of said gas envelope positioned above said control member, with a length of said first plurality of tie-downs being increased as said gas envelope moves from the retracted position to the expanded position;
- at least one solar panel carried by a predetermined portion of said gas envelope;
- at least one solar sensor for determining a direction of the sun;
- and
- a propulsion system carried by said gas envelope for orienting said gas envelope so that said at least one solar panel is oriented in the direction of the sun based upon said at least one solar sensor to thereby increase solar energy collection efficiency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.