A balloon system, preferably including a balloon and a payload. A balloon, preferably including a plurality of gores, a plurality of load members, and an apex fitting. A method of balloon system operation, preferably including deflating a balloon, and optionally including operating the balloon system in flight and/or landing the balloon system.

A balloon system, preferably including a balloon and a payload. A balloon, preferably including a plurality of gores, a plurality of load members, and an apex fitting. A method of balloon system operation, preferably including deflating a balloon, and optionally including operating the balloon system in flight and/or landing the balloon system.

Provided is an aerial vehicle having a structure in which a rotating body has been excluded from a portion that can be touched by a user during flight. An aerial vehicle includes: a balloon unit; a control unit provided at the bottom of the balloon unit; and a plurality of micro-mechanisms (micro blowers), each of which blows out air. The micro blowers have a structure in which a vibrating member is vibrated in a space in communication with a plurality of openings, thereby blowing out, through a second opening, the air that has flowed into the space through a first opening. The control unit controls the micro blowers to change the position or the attitude of the aerial vehicle.

Provided is an aerial vehicle having a structure in which a rotating body has been excluded from a portion that can be touched by a user during flight. An aerial vehicle includes: a balloon unit; a control unit provided at the bottom of the balloon unit; and a plurality of micro-mechanisms (micro blowers), each of which blows out air. The micro blowers have a structure in which a vibrating member is vibrated in a space in communication with a plurality of openings, thereby blowing out, through a second opening, the air that has flowed into the space through a first opening. The control unit controls the micro blowers to change the position or the attitude of the aerial vehicle.

A towed atmospheric balloon system includes an atmospheric balloon including a quantity of lift gas and a neutral buoyancy towing system coupled with the atmospheric balloon. The neutral buoyancy towing system includes one or more towing thrusters configured to move the towed atmospheric balloon system in a neutrally buoyant condition between altitudes, and a power source operatively coupled with the towing thruster. Wherein a composite mass of the towed atmospheric balloon system includes component masses of the atmospheric balloon and the neutral buoyancy towing system, and the composite mass is static and neutral buoyancy is maintained with movement between altitudes. At differing altitudes the composite mass of the towed atmospheric balloon system is static and the and the system remains neutrally buoyant.

An air control system and method using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere are disclosed. An air control system using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere includes: a floating body 11 provided to stay in the upper zone of the atmosphere; air transporting pipes 15a and 15b interlocked with the floating body 11 to transport air in the upper zone of the atmosphere; blowers 22a and 22b mounted below the air transporting pipe 15a and 15b; and an air transporting controller 18 controlling an operation of the blowers 22a and 22b. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement functions such as cooling, drying, and purifying of the surrounding air, removing mist, or generating clouds through the transport of dry and low-temperature clean air in the upper zone of the atmosphere with a simple structure. In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to freely adjust a height of air control because there is no need to install a post tower to support an elevating device because it supports the floating body 11 on the ground without the post tower.

An air control system and method using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere are disclosed. An air control system using air in an upper zone of the atmosphere includes: a floating body 11 provided to stay in the upper zone of the atmosphere; air transporting pipes 15a and 15b interlocked with the floating body 11 to transport air in the upper zone of the atmosphere; blowers 22a and 22b mounted below the air transporting pipe 15a and 15b; and an air transporting controller 18 controlling an operation of the blowers 22a and 22b. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to implement functions such as cooling, drying, and purifying of the surrounding air, removing mist, or generating clouds through the transport of dry and low-temperature clean air in the upper zone of the atmosphere with a simple structure. In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to freely adjust a height of air control because there is no need to install a post tower to support an elevating device because it supports the floating body 11 on the ground without the post tower.

A fixed housing that is configured to be coupled to a balloon envelope and an impeller housing disposed within the fixed housing, wherein the impeller housing and the fixed housing form a seal in a closed position, wherein the impeller housing is moveable into the balloon envelope relative to the fixed housing in an open position, and wherein the impeller housing defines an unobstructed airflow passageway between an internal chamber in a balloon envelope and the atmosphere in the open position.

Aspects of the technology relate to propulsion systems for high altitude, long duration balloons, such as balloons that operate in the stratosphere for weeks, months or longer. A propeller assembly is used to provide lateral directional adjustments, which allows the balloon to spend more time over a desired region, reduce the return time to the desired region, reduce fleet overprovisioning, and increases the safety case by additional controls and avoidance abilities. A control assembly manages operation of the propeller assembly, including setting the pointing direction, speed of rotation and determining when to turn on the propeller and for how long. The propulsion system including the control and propeller assemblies is rotatable around a connection member of the balloon. Such rotation is independently adjustable from any rotation of the balloon's payload. The propeller blades may be made of plastic, which reduces weight and cost while providing sufficient speed at stratospheric altitudes.

Aspects of the technology relate to propulsion systems for high altitude, long duration balloons, such as balloons that operate in the stratosphere for weeks, months or longer. A propeller assembly is used to provide lateral directional adjustments, which allows the balloon to spend more time over a desired region, reduce the return time to the desired region, reduce fleet overprovisioning, and increases the safety case by additional controls and avoidance abilities. A control assembly manages operation of the propeller assembly, including setting the pointing direction, speed of rotation and determining when to turn on the propeller and for how long. The propulsion system including the control and propeller assemblies is rotatable around a connection member of the balloon. Such rotation is independently adjustable from any rotation of the balloon's payload. The propeller blades may be made of plastic, which reduces weight and cost while providing sufficient speed at stratospheric altitudes.