A method including operating a vehicle in a medium. The vehicle is subject to advection due to movement of the medium. The method also includes measuring, using a navigation system, positions of a vehicle over time. The method also includes measuring, using a directional sensor, a course-through-medium over the time. The method also includes calculating, using the positions and the course-through-medium, a variation of a speed-over-ground of the vehicle over the time as a function of the course-through-medium over the time. The method also includes concurrently estimating, using the variation, 1) an average speed-through-medium for the vehicle over the time, and 2) an advection rate of the medium, and 3) an advection direction of the medium.

A method including operating a vehicle in a medium. The vehicle is subject to advection due to movement of the medium. The method also includes measuring, using a navigation system, positions of a vehicle over time. The method also includes measuring, using a directional sensor, a course-through-medium over the time. The method also includes calculating, using the positions and the course-through-medium, a variation of a speed-over-ground of the vehicle over the time as a function of the course-through-medium over the time. The method also includes concurrently estimating, using the variation, 1) an average speed-through-medium for the vehicle over the time, and 2) an advection rate of the medium, and 3) an advection direction of the medium.

The technology described here relates to LTA vehicle launch configuration and in-flight optimization. A method for optimizing for an objective of an LTA vehicle launch may include receiving a desired objective, receiving known parameters of the LTA vehicle, including a pressure threshold, performing probabilistic calculations based on the desired objective and the known parameters, the probabilistic calculations configured to model setup parameters and to output probabilities for the setup parameters, the output indicating probabilities that a simulated vehicles would achieve the desired objective. The method also includes selecting a setup parameter value based on a high probability indicated in the output. Also described is an LTA vehicle launch configuration system implementing a thermal model, a physics model, and a fill and ballast tool, including an altitude range estimator, a gas-air estimator, and a pre-flight ballast model.

Hydrogen is delivered from a first location to a second location by an airship, such as a lighter-than-air ship. The hydrogen may be produced at the first location and the second location is where the hydrogen is needed. Once produced, the hydrogen is then loaded onto the airship. In one approach, a hydrogen storage compartment in the airship is filled with hydrogen. After the airship has arrived at the second location, the hydrogen is retrieved and may be stored at the second location for use as an energy source.

Hydrogen is delivered from a first location to a second location by an airship, such as a lighter-than-air ship. The hydrogen may be produced at the first location and the second location is where the hydrogen is needed. Once produced, the hydrogen is then loaded onto the airship. In one approach, a hydrogen storage compartment in the airship is filled with hydrogen. After the airship has arrived at the second location, the hydrogen is retrieved and may be stored at the second location for use as an energy source.

An apparatus comprising a spherical vessel, where the spherical vessel further includes a wall, where the wall is formed from one or more layers of material and a gas, where the gas may be lighter-than-air and is enclosed by the wall.

An apparatus comprising a spherical vessel, where the spherical vessel further includes a wall, where the wall is formed from one or more layers of material and a gas, where the gas may be lighter-than-air and is enclosed by the wall.

Provided is a system comprising a projector; and a control device, wherein the control device includes a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of the projector, a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a solar cell panel is mounted, and an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information and the flight vehicle position information.

Provided is a system comprising a projector; and a control device, wherein the control device includes a projector position information acquisition unit for acquiring projector position information indicative of a position of the projector, a flight vehicle position information acquisition unit for acquiring flight vehicle position information indicative of a position of a flight vehicle on which a solar cell panel is mounted, and an irradiation direction control unit for controlling an irradiation direction of light emitted from the projector, based on the projector position information and the flight vehicle position information.

A flying robot (10) with projector, including a movable end (100) and a fixed end (200). A distributed working mode is used on the movable end (100) and the fixed end (200). The movable end (100) includes a top (110), a main body (120) and a bottom (130). The top (110) includes a lift system (112) and one or more proximity sensors (114); the main body (120) is a sealed hollow spherical body or spheroid body made of a film material capable of being used as a rear projection screen, and is filled with a gas of which the density is less than that of the air. The bottom (130) includes one or more rear projectors (131), a wireless communication module (132), a microcontroller (133), a battery (134), a direction and steering controlling device (135), a camera device (136), a sound capturing and reproduction device (137), a height sensor (138) and other sensors, etc. The fixed end (200) includes a wireless communication module (220), a control apparatus (240), a charging port (260), and other data interfaces, etc. The flying robot (10) with projector according to the present invention facilitates human-machine interaction and is suitable for being used in both indoor and outdoor environments.