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.

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.

A hybrid airship-aerostat includes a hull, a motor, a fin, a controller, and a bridle system. The motor is coupled to the hull and is configured to rotate between a thrust configuration and a lift configuration. The motor is configured to generate a lift force, a thrust force, or a combination thereof. The fin is coupled to a tail of the hull and is configured to provide directional control of the hull. The controller is configured to operate the motor and the fin to pilot the hull. The bridle system is configured to removably couple to a first end of a tether.

A hybrid airship-aerostat includes a hull, a motor, a fin, a controller, and a bridle system. The motor is coupled to the hull and is configured to rotate between a thrust configuration and a lift configuration. The motor is configured to generate a lift force, a thrust force, or a combination thereof. The fin is coupled to a tail of the hull and is configured to provide directional control of the hull. The controller is configured to operate the motor and the fin to pilot the hull. The bridle system is configured to removably couple to a first end of a tether.

A device for controlling thrust vectoring of a cyclorotor includes a control cam positionable relative to a drive shaft of a cyclorotor along each of a first axis and a second axis, where the drive shaft is rotatable about a third axis. The device may further include a frame having a plurality of sides, where the frame is disposed at least partly around the drive shaft of the cyclorotor, a first positioning assembly disposed on a first side of the frame, where the first positioning assembly is structurally configured to move the frame along the first axis, and a second positioning assembly disposed on a second side of the frame, where the second positioning assembly is engaged with the control cam and structurally configured to move the control cam relative to the frame along the second axis.

A device for controlling thrust vectoring of a cyclorotor includes a control cam positionable relative to a drive shaft of a cyclorotor along each of a first axis and a second axis, where the drive shaft is rotatable about a third axis. The device may further include a frame having a plurality of sides, where the frame is disposed at least partly around the drive shaft of the cyclorotor, a first positioning assembly disposed on a first side of the frame, where the first positioning assembly is structurally configured to move the frame along the first axis, and a second positioning assembly disposed on a second side of the frame, where the second positioning assembly is engaged with the control cam and structurally configured to move the control cam relative to the frame along the second axis.

The present invention discloses a large-scale semi-rigid structure airship, relating to the technical field of aerostats, which comprises a ship body, vector side thrusters, a vector tail thruster, an X-shaped inflatable tail fin, air cushions, and a pod, wherein the ship body comprises a pretensioned capsule and a tensegrity keel; the pretensioned capsule is sleeved onto an outer surface of the tensegrity keel in a pretensioning mode; the vector side thrusters are provided at lower-side portions of the ship body; the vector tail thruster is provided at the tail of the ship body; the X-shaped inflatable tail fin is arranged at the tail of the ship body in an X shape; the air cushions are provided at lower portions of the ship body; and the pod is provided at a lower portion of the ship body. The airship of the present invention uses a structure of integrated and synergistic force bearing by an integral keel of a tension-compression self-balancing system and the pretensioned capsule, and has characteristics of integral conformity of the capsule under a zero pressure, an integral rigidity under a low pressure, high load bearing, a flexible load arrangement, and high-efficiency transfer.

The present invention discloses a large-scale semi-rigid structure airship, relating to the technical field of aerostats, which comprises a ship body, vector side thrusters, a vector tail thruster, an X-shaped inflatable tail fin, air cushions, and a pod, wherein the ship body comprises a pretensioned capsule and a tensegrity keel; the pretensioned capsule is sleeved onto an outer surface of the tensegrity keel in a pretensioning mode; the vector side thrusters are provided at lower-side portions of the ship body; the vector tail thruster is provided at the tail of the ship body; the X-shaped inflatable tail fin is arranged at the tail of the ship body in an X shape; the air cushions are provided at lower portions of the ship body; and the pod is provided at a lower portion of the ship body. The airship of the present invention uses a structure of integrated and synergistic force bearing by an integral keel of a tension-compression self-balancing system and the pretensioned capsule, and has characteristics of integral conformity of the capsule under a zero pressure, an integral rigidity under a low pressure, high load bearing, a flexible load arrangement, and high-efficiency transfer.

A hybrid airship-aerostat includes a hull, a motor, a fin, a controller, and a bridle system. The motor is coupled to the hull and is configured to rotate between a thrust configuration and a lift configuration. The motor is configured to generate a lift force, a thrust force, or a combination thereof. The fin is coupled to a tail of the hull and is configured to provide directional control of the hull. The controller is configured to operate the motor and the fin to pilot the hull. The bridle system is configured to removably couple to a first end of a tether.