An intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system is disclosed including a ground station and one or more aerial vehicles. The aerial vehicles are autonomous systems capable of communicating intelligence data to the ground station and be used as part of a missile delivery package. A plurality of aerial vehicles can be configured to cast a wide net of reconnaissance over a large area on the ground including smaller overlapping reconnaissance areas provided by each of the plurality of the aerial vehicles.

An intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system is disclosed including a ground station and one or more aerial vehicles. The aerial vehicles are autonomous systems capable of communicating intelligence data to the ground station and be used as part of a missile delivery package. A plurality of aerial vehicles can be configured to cast a wide net of reconnaissance over a large area on the ground including smaller overlapping reconnaissance areas provided by each of the plurality of the aerial vehicles.

An aircraft includes: a plurality of rotor units each including a propeller and a motor that drives the propeller; a balloon that laterally covers the plurality of rotor units, across the height of the plurality of rotor units in the up-and-down direction; a camera that protrudes, along a predetermined axis, beyond the balloon; and a holding component that holds the camera and whose overall length can be shortened along the predetermined axis.

A Rapid Air Ballast System that generates ballast for an airship relatively quickly by compressing air at low pressures into a ballonet inside a large volume tank. The air pressure inside the ballonet being roughly equal to the lifting gas pressure outside the ballonet but inside the tank. The system comprising a controllable air compression device to achieve the desired air pressure and valves in the system to direct the flow of air into or out of the system. This is particularly useful for quickly and efficiently controlling aerostatic lift for an airship, especially while performing on-loading and off-loading of payload operations.

Aspects of the technology relate to lighter-than-air (LTA) high altitude platforms configured to operate in the stratosphere. Such platforms can generate solar power from solar panels, enabling long-term operation for weeks, months or longer. Shaped envelope LTA platforms may have solar panels arranged along an upper section of the envelope, which can be particularly helpful when the envelope is made of a fabric that is not transparent or translucent. To address possible thermal effects, aerodynamics and other issues with the solar panels, one or more external air bladders are disposed between the such components and the shaped envelope. One or more perimeter chamber of the air bladder configuration can be employed to create more aerodynamically efficient leading and trailing edges to blend the envelope surface with the surface(s) of the solar panel components. The insulative air bladder(s) may also provide structural support during fill of a shaped envelope at launch.

The technology relates to a storm avoidance system for a lighter than air (LTA) vehicle. The storm avoidance system can include a mechanical actuation system, a balloon envelope comprising a ballonet, and a valve configured to allow air to escape the ballonet. When the storm avoidance system is engaged, the mechanical actuation system can open the valve, thereby allowing air to escape the ballonet and causing the LTA vehicle to ascend to an altitude above a storm altitude. In some cases, a state of the LTA vehicle can be detected, and the storm avoidance system can be engaged in response to the detected state. In some cases, a proximity of the LTA to a low population area can be determined, and the LTA vehicle can be caused to land in the low population area.

A variable lift device includes a pressurized airtight enclosure accommodating air, a first airtight ballonet disposed inside the airtight enclosure accommodating a pressurized gas with a density lower than the density of air, the first airtight ballonet comprising a perforation means for perforating the first airtight ballonet.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a mechanical fuse having a first component having an opening in a lower wall and a ledge arranged around the opening and a second component having a top surface with a threaded opening arranged therein. The top surface of the second component may be oriented towards the first component such that the top surface is arranged entirely below the lower wall in order to enable the first component and the second component to pivot relative to one another at the bolt. The mechanical fuse may also include a bolt having a neck including a reduced cross-sectional area portion, and the bolt is configured to break and separate the first component from the second component when a predetermined amount of force is transmitted from the first component to the reduced cross-sectional area portion via the pivoting.

A fail-safe aerostat system is discussed, for structural support and network interconnection, applicable to many systems based on lighter-than-air lift. The invention describes a system with reinforced structure and optimized connection and an integration structure (reinforcement and integration structure), reinforcing a hydrogen cell or cells with a fail-safe design. The theorized structure is strong enough to withstand explosive forces, avoiding propagation of shock wave damage and fire, and a hydrogen cell or cells automatically self-controlled, operating independently to obtain lift strength and multi-parameter control.

A fail-safe aerostat system is discussed, for structural support and network interconnection, applicable to many systems based on lighter-than-air lift. The invention describes a system with reinforced structure and optimized connection and an integration structure (reinforcement and integration structure), reinforcing a hydrogen cell or cells with a fail-safe design. The theorized structure is strong enough to withstand explosive forces, avoiding propagation of shock wave damage and fire, and a hydrogen cell or cells automatically self-controlled, operating independently to obtain lift strength and multi-parameter control.