The disclosed invention describes a method for determining a lift of a gas cell of an airship. A computing device receives depth measurements of an interior surface of the gas cell comprising a lifting gas using a lidar sensor positioned outside at the top of the gas cell. The computing device performs a particular integration on the depth measurements and estimates a volume of the gas cell based on performing the particular integration. The computing device determines the lift of the gas cell comprising the lifting gas using estimated volume of the gas cell. The computing device sends the lift of the gas cell comprising the lifting gas to a control module of the airship.

The disclosed invention describes a method for determining a lift of a gas cell of an airship. A computing device receives depth measurements of an interior surface of the gas cell comprising a lifting gas using a lidar sensor positioned outside at the top of the gas cell. The computing device performs a particular integration on the depth measurements and estimates a volume of the gas cell based on performing the particular integration. The computing device determines the lift of the gas cell comprising the lifting gas using estimated volume of the gas cell. The computing device sends the lift of the gas cell comprising the lifting gas to a control module of the airship.

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 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.

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.

A system for managing power of an aerial vehicle, the system including an aerial vehicle including a power storage module and at least one component, a computing device communicatively coupled to the aerial vehicle, the computing device including a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive data indicating a state of charge of the power storage module, receive data indicating a rate of power consumption of the at least one component, generate, based on at least one of the state of charge of the power storage module or the rate of power consumption of the at least one component, a power command, and transmit the power command to the aerial vehicle.

A system for managing power of an aerial vehicle, the system including an aerial vehicle including a power storage module and at least one component, a computing device communicatively coupled to the aerial vehicle, the computing device including a processor and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to receive data indicating a state of charge of the power storage module, receive data indicating a rate of power consumption of the at least one component, generate, based on at least one of the state of charge of the power storage module or the rate of power consumption of the at least one component, a power command, and transmit the power command to the aerial vehicle.

A gas density control system for airships is provide. The system embodies a hybrid ballonet and low pressure gas storage tank combination for regulating the density and volume of the airship lift gas, wherein the ballonet is fluidly connected to the storage tank by a transfer hose. The base of the ballonet is also sealed along an exterior surface of the length curvilinear geometric shaped storage tank so that as the storage tank selectively rotates the ballonet either wraps or unwraps around the length, whereby the lift gas transfer to and from the storage tank to the ballonet, respectively. A transfer hose reel is provided to rotate with the storage tank so that as the ballonet wraps about the storage tank the transfer hose winds about the transfer hose reel, and vice versa. Thereby the system precisely adjusts the ballonet's volume, which in turn controls its lifting force.

A gas density control system for airships is provide. The system embodies a hybrid ballonet and low pressure gas storage tank combination for regulating the density and volume of the airship lift gas, wherein the ballonet is fluidly connected to the storage tank by a transfer hose. The base of the ballonet is also sealed along an exterior surface of the length curvilinear geometric shaped storage tank so that as the storage tank selectively rotates the ballonet either wraps or unwraps around the length, whereby the lift gas transfer to and from the storage tank to the ballonet, respectively. A transfer hose reel is provided to rotate with the storage tank so that as the ballonet wraps about the storage tank the transfer hose winds about the transfer hose reel, and vice versa. Thereby the system precisely adjusts the ballonet's volume, which in turn controls its lifting force.

An airborne computational facility uses an energy collection system to provide energy for operation. An airborne balloon is provided with a photovoltaic collector array, and uses energy generated by the photovoltaic collector array to power an on-board computational facility. Data for computation is received by a communication module and computational results are transmitted by the communication module.