A lighter-than-air airship has an exoskeleton constructed of spokes and hubs to create a set of connected hexagrams comprised of isosceles triangles wherein the spokes flex and vary in length to produce the slope of said airship's surface. In one embodiment, the exoskeleton connects to a nose cone that includes a cockpit cabin for controlling the airship's operation from a single location that can be physically separated from the exoskeleton in response to catastrophic events and for autonomous and/or remotely piloted operation. An improved means is also provided for landing and unloading cargo, and through use of unmanned aerial vehicles in another embodiment, the airship is configured for remote pickup, transport, delivery and return of payloads such as packages. In yet another embodiment, the airship provides a communications platform for beam form transmission and satellite signal relay, including in combination with the foregoing disclosed attributes.

A lighter-than-air airship has an exoskeleton constructed of spokes and hubs to create a set of connected hexagrams comprised of isosceles triangles wherein the spokes flex and vary in length to produce the slope of said airship's surface. In one embodiment, the exoskeleton connects to a nose cone that includes a cockpit cabin for controlling the airship's operation from a single location that can be physically separated from the exoskeleton in response to catastrophic events and for autonomous and/or remotely piloted operation. An improved means is also provided for landing and unloading cargo, and through use of unmanned aerial vehicles in another embodiment, the airship is configured for remote pickup, transport, delivery and return of payloads such as packages. In yet another embodiment, the airship provides a communications platform for beam form transmission and satellite signal relay, including in combination with the foregoing disclosed attributes.

A lighter than air airship (1) comprising a gas-filled flexible hull (2) which is elongate with a longitudinal axis (1) and with a front end (4) and a rear end (5), wherein a harness-structure (3) is abutting an outer side of the hull (2) and not perturbing the hull and not extending through the hull, the harness-structure (3) is made of a bendable material and carries a propeller engine (10) for forward thrust of the airship (1), rechargeable batteries (11) for providing electrical power to the propeller engine (10), and a solar panel for providing electrical power to recharge the batteries (11).

A lighter than air airship (1) comprising a gas-filled flexible hull (2) which is elongate with a longitudinal axis (1) and with a front end (4) and a rear end (5), wherein a harness-structure (3) is abutting an outer side of the hull (2) and not perturbing the hull and not extending through the hull, the harness-structure (3) is made of a bendable material and carries a propeller engine (10) for forward thrust of the airship (1), rechargeable batteries (11) for providing electrical power to the propeller engine (10), and a solar panel for providing electrical power to recharge the batteries (11).

A method of repairing an airship hull of an airship during flight and while the airship is untethered from the ground comprises detecting a breach in a gas barrier bordering an interior volume of the airship, the airship containing a lifting gas wherein the hull of the airship comprises an electrically conductive material and wherein the breach in the gas barrier is detected by detecting changes in an electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive material.

A method of repairing an airship hull of an airship during flight and while the airship is untethered from the ground comprises detecting a breach in a gas barrier bordering an interior volume of the airship, the airship containing a lifting gas wherein the hull of the airship comprises an electrically conductive material and wherein the breach in the gas barrier is detected by detecting changes in an electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive material.

The present invention is a variable geometry aircraft that is capable of morphing its shape from a symmetric cross-section buoyant craft to an asymmetric lifting body and even to a symmetric zero lift configuration. The basic structure is a semi rigid airship with movable longerons. Movement of the longerons adjusts the camber of the upper and/or lower surfaces to achieve varying shapes of the lifting-body. This transformation changes both the lift and drag characteristics of the craft to alter the flight characteristics. The transformation may be accomplished while the craft is airborne and does not require any ground support equipment.

The present invention is a variable geometry aircraft that is capable of morphing its shape from a symmetric cross-section buoyant craft to an asymmetric lifting body and even to a symmetric zero lift configuration. The basic structure is a semi rigid airship with movable longerons. Movement of the longerons adjusts the camber of the upper and/or lower surfaces to achieve varying shapes of the lifting-body. This transformation changes both the lift and drag characteristics of the craft to alter the flight characteristics. The transformation may be accomplished while the craft is airborne and does not require any ground support equipment.

Disclosed is a lighter than air vehicle comprising: an envelope containing a lighter than air gas, at least part of the envelope admitting the passage of light through the at least part of the envelope; and a directing device for selectively redirecting the light which passes through the at least part of the envelope. The vehicle may further comprises a plurality of devices for using incident light. The directing device for selectively redirecting the light may be for selectively redirecting the light onto a selected device, for example, by switching the positions of two or more devices into the path of the light.

Disclosed is a lighter than air vehicle comprising: an envelope containing a lighter than air gas, at least part of the envelope admitting the passage of light through the at least part of the envelope; and a directing device for selectively redirecting the light which passes through the at least part of the envelope. The vehicle may further comprises a plurality of devices for using incident light. The directing device for selectively redirecting the light may be for selectively redirecting the light onto a selected device, for example, by switching the positions of two or more devices into the path of the light.