Lenticular airship

An empennage assembly for a lighter-than-air airship, the empennage assembly comprising:

• at least one horizontal stabilizing member having a first end and a second end, wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizing member defines an anhedral configuration;
• and
• a vertical stabilizing member having a first end configured to be pivotally coupled to the airship and a second end configured to be oriented to remain below an upper surface of the airship,
• wherein the vertical stabilizing member is configured to pivot within a vertical plane, and
• wherein the first end of the vertical stabilizing member and the first end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member are operably coupled to one another, wherein the coupling between the vertical stabilizing member and the horizontal stabilizing member is independent of a hull of the airship.

An airship comprising:

• a hull substantially shaped as an oblate spheroid having a length, a width, and a height, wherein the length and the width have approximately the same dimension;
• one or more frame members defining a support structure, wherein the support structure forms at least a partial support for the hull;
• and
• an empennage assembly operably coupled to a lower surface of the airship, the empennage assembly including:
• at least one horizontal stabilizing member having a first end and a second end, wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizing member defines an anhedral configuration;
• and
• a vertical stabilizing member having a first end pivotally coupled to the airship and a second end oriented to remain below an upper surface of the airship,
• wherein the vertical stabilizing member is configured to pivot within a vertical plane, and
• wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizing member provides support for a landing gear assembly, which is operably coupled to the second end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member and is retractable with respect to the horizontal stabilizing member.