초록 ▼

An airship has a generally spherical shape and has an internal envelope for containing a lifting gas such as Helium or Hydrogen. The airship has a propulsion and control system that permits it to be flown to a desired loitering location, and to be maintained in that location for a period of time. I

An airship has a generally spherical shape and has an internal envelope for containing a lifting gas such as Helium or Hydrogen. The airship has a propulsion and control system that permits it to be flown to a desired loitering location, and to be maintained in that location for a period of time. In one embodiment the airship may achieve neutral buoyancy when the internal envelope is as little as 7% full of lifting gas, and may have a service ceiling of about 60,000 ft. The airship has an equipment module that can include either communications equipment, or monitoring equipment, or both. The airship can be remotely controlled from a ground station. The airship has a solar cell array and electric motors of the propulsion and control system are driven by power obtained from the array. The airship also has an auxiliary power unit that can be used to drive the electric motors. The airship can have a pusher propeller that assists in driving the airship and also moves the point of flow separation of the spherical airship further aft. In one embodiment the airship can be refuelled at altitude to permit extended loitering.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A substantially spherical aircraft, said aircraft comprising: buoyancy apparatus operable to maintain said aircraft aloft; propulsion and directional apparatus co-operable to conduct said aircraft; at least one boundary layer separation suppression element operable to encourage said a

I claim: 1. A substantially spherical aircraft, said aircraft comprising: buoyancy apparatus operable to maintain said aircraft aloft; propulsion and directional apparatus co-operable to conduct said aircraft; at least one boundary layer separation suppression element operable to encourage said aircraft to proceed as conducted; an outer envelope having a leading portion and a trailing portion, and said at least one boundary layer separation suppression element including a pump element mounted to create, during operation for forward conduct, a zone of lowered fluid pressure substantially adjacent to said trailing portion of said aircraft and to swift away from said leading portion, a point at which airflow about said outer envelope separates therefrom. 2. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 1 further: said at least one boundary layer separation suppression element including roughening said at least one boundary layer separation suppression element including a pusher propeller mounted aft of said trailing portion of said aircraft. 3. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 2, further comprising a fuel replenishment system said fuel replenishment system being operable while said aircraft is aloft. 4. A substantially spherical aircraft, said aircraft comprising: buoyancy apparatus operable to maintain said aircraft aloft; propulsion and directional apparatus co-operable to conduct said aircraft; at least one boundary layer separation suppression element operable to encourage said aircraft to proceed as conducted; a leading portion and a trailing portion, and said at least one boundary layer separation suppression element including a pusher propeller mounted aft of said trailing portion of said aircraft. 5. A substantially spherical aircraft comprising an outer envelope having a leading portion and a trailing portion, said aircraft having buoyancy apparatus operable to maintain said aircraft aloft, propulsion and directional apparatus co-operable to conduct said aircraft; and at least one boundary layer separation suppression element operable to encourage said aircraft to proceed as conducted and to create, during operation for forward conduct a zone of lowered fluid pressure substantially adjacent to said trailing portion of said aircraft and to shift away from said leading portion, a point at which airflow about said outer envelope srparates therefrom, said bouyancy apparatus including an envelope mounted within said aircraft, and said envelope containing a buoyant lifting fluid. 6. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 5 wherein said lifting fluid is helium. 7. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 5 wherein said lifting fluid is hydrogen. 8. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 5 wherein said substantially spherical aircraft has a weight and an internal volume, said envelope is variably inflatable to occupy a variable portion of said internal volume; and under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 70% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 9. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 50% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 10. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 25% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 11. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 10% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 12. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 7.5% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 13. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 10,000 ft. 14. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 18,000 ft. 15. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 40,000 ft. 16. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 8 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 60,000 ft. 17. A substantially spherical aircraft, said substantially spherical aircraft having a weight and an internal volume, said aircraft having an outer, load-bearing envelope defining said internal volume, buoyancy apparatus operable to maintain said aircraft aloft, and propulsion and directional apparatus co-operable to conduct said aircraft; said buoyancy apparatus including an inner envelope mounted within said outer, load bearing envelope, said internal volume being maintained at an elevated pressure relative to the external, ambient pressure to maintain said substantially spherical shape of said aircraft, said inner envelope containing a buoyant lifting fluid; said inner envelope being variably inflatable to occupy a variable portion of said internal volume; and, under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 70% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 18. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 17 wherein said lifting fluid is hydrogen. 19. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 17 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 50% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 20. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 17 wherein under ambient conditions at sea level on a 59 F day, when said envelope is inflated to as little as 10% of said internal volume, said envelope provides a buoyant force at least as great as said weight. 21. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 17 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 10,000 ft. 22. The substantially spherical aircraft of claim 17 wherein said aircraft has a service ceiling of greater than 40,000 ft. 23. A method for operating a buoyant aircraft, said method comprising the steps of: providing a substantially spherical aircraft having an internal volume, and a weight, said aircraft including an outer, load-bearing envelope defining said internal volume, an inner, inflatable envelope housed within said internal volume, and said aircraft having a propulsion system and a directional control system; maintaining said internal volume at an elevated pressure relative to the external ambient pressure; operating said propulsion and directional control systems to conduct said aircraft to a location greater than 10,000 ft above sea level; maintaining said aircraft aloft in a loitering position and; refuelling said aircraft while maintaining it in said loitering position.