Aspects of the technology relate to temperature regulation for high altitude, long duration balloons, such as balloons that operate in the stratosphere for weeks, months or longer. A balloon covering overlays the balloon envelope, providing an opaque or otherwise light-reflective layer with low emissivity that blocks or reflects optical and/or infrared light. Heat from within the envelope is reflected back from the covering toward the envelope, while light from the sun is reflected back towards the environment. An active venting system is employed to draw in cooler ambient air from the external environment while expelling warmer air from within the envelope. Vent and air intake assemblies of the active venting system are actuated in view of current and/or predicted balloon conditions to regulate internal balloon temperature. This approach reduces repeated pressure changes, which can put undue stress on the balloon envelope and adversely affect the operational lifespan of the system.

[Object] To provide a high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place. [Solution] Provides a long pole 30 which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface E, a rotorcraft 40 for positioning the pole 30 to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole 30 by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism 22 which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole 30 to the height position set by the rotorcraft 40, and a camera 50 attached to the rotorcraft 40.

[Object] To provide a high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place. [Solution] Provides a long pole 30 which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface E, a rotorcraft 40 for positioning the pole 30 to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole 30 by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism 22 which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole 30 to the height position set by the rotorcraft 40, and a camera 50 attached to the rotorcraft 40.

Air-buoyant structures, and vehicles incorporating air-buoyant structures, are provided. Hollow, air-buoyant structures may include a shell of ultra-low density aerogel material, foam material, or vapor-expanded material that is strong and stiff enough to withstand atmospheric pressure and lightweight enough to achieve buoyancy in air under evacuation. The shell may be reinforced with a suitable reinforcing material, such as helical nanofibers. The air-buoyant structures may also include vacuum pumps and valves operably connected to or integrated with the hollow shell. The vacuum pumps and valves may be configured to pump air out of the hollow shell and allow air back into the hollow shell to control buoyancy.

Air-buoyant structures, and vehicles incorporating air-buoyant structures, are provided. Hollow, air-buoyant structures may include a shell of ultra-low density aerogel material, foam material, or vapor-expanded material that is strong and stiff enough to withstand atmospheric pressure and lightweight enough to achieve buoyancy in air under evacuation. The shell may be reinforced with a suitable reinforcing material, such as helical nanofibers. The air-buoyant structures may also include vacuum pumps and valves operably connected to or integrated with the hollow shell. The vacuum pumps and valves may be configured to pump air out of the hollow shell and allow air back into the hollow shell to control buoyancy.

Features for a high altitude lighter-than-air (LTA) system and associated methods. A zero-pressure balloon (ZPB) is attached in tandem with one or more variable ballast air super-pressure balloons (SPB) having a continuous skin and multiple SPB compartments. The ZPB provides lift for the system while the multi-compartment SPB uses a centrifugal compressor to provide a variable amount of ballast air by pumping in or expelling out ambient air. Various performance targets relating to ascent rate, descent rate, range and maximum altitude are achievable with various scaled versions of the basic design of the LTA system. Navigation and control techniques, such as high altitude station-keeping approaches, are made possible with the LTA system.

Features for a high altitude lighter-than-air (LTA) system and associated methods. A zero-pressure balloon (ZPB) is attached in tandem with one or more variable ballast air super-pressure balloons (SPB) having a continuous skin and multiple SPB compartments. The ZPB provides lift for the system while the multi-compartment SPB uses a centrifugal compressor to provide a variable amount of ballast air by pumping in or expelling out ambient air. Various performance targets relating to ascent rate, descent rate, range and maximum altitude are achievable with various scaled versions of the basic design of the LTA system. Navigation and control techniques, such as high altitude station-keeping approaches, are made possible with the LTA system.

Overall efficiency and/or flight time of UAVs and Drones can be increased by adding elements containing lighter-than-air gasses; and/or by reducing and/or eliminating the power supplied to any combination of the motors to reduce overall power consumption. In an aspect the configuration of a blimp drone comprises at least one air cavity/chamber/container filled with lighter-than-air gasses. The 3D chambers are made from swept or extruded closed 2D geometry and are detachable from the Drone and can be transparent or camouflaged in color. To maintain control and altitude of the aircraft, lifting surfaces can be incorporated. Such lifting surfaces may include active and/or passive control surfaces to maintain flight stability. Additionally, cavities, fissures, orifices and valves may be added to the surface of the flying vehicle to gain other efficiency advantages.

A system for controlling an aerial vehicle includes an aerial vehicle, a ballast coupled to the aerial vehicle, a server including a processor and a memory, and a wireless communication link that communicatively couples the aerial vehicle and the server. the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server to receive weather data, determine, based on the weather data, that the aerial vehicle is experiencing, or is expected to experience, weather that satisfies a predetermined criterion, and cause the aerial vehicle to decouple at least a portion of the ballast based on a result of the determination.

A system for controlling an aerial vehicle includes an aerial vehicle, a ballast coupled to the aerial vehicle, a server including a processor and a memory, and a wireless communication link that communicatively couples the aerial vehicle and the server. the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the server to receive weather data, determine, based on the weather data, that the aerial vehicle is experiencing, or is expected to experience, weather that satisfies a predetermined criterion, and cause the aerial vehicle to decouple at least a portion of the ballast based on a result of the determination.