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.

Devices and methods of a pod that deploys from an aircraft or vehicle and descends to safely land. The pod is configured to be attached to an aircraft or vehicle. The pod includes walls that extend around and form a contained interior space that houses one or more travelers or cargo containers. During flight of the aircraft or vehicle, the pod deploys from the aircraft or vehicle while at an elevation above ground. A landing location is determined for the pod. While the pod is descending, the pod is steered towards and lands at the landing location.

The present invention discloses a rescue solution for the passengers of a plane. When the plane is in emergency situation the passengers proceed to a safety room and parachute will be activated as the passengers leave the rear of the plane. The passengers will slowly ascend to earth safely.

An aircraft safety apparatus removably disposed on at least a portion of an aircraft, the aircraft safety apparatus including a parachute canister, including a main body to store at least one item therein, and at least one parachute disposed within at least a portion of the main body to reduce a rate of descent of the aircraft in response to extraction from the main body, and a rocket canister removably connected to at least a portion of the main body to at least partially fill at least a portion of the main body with a combustible gas, and a gas canister removably connected to at least a portion of the main body to at least partially fill at least a portion of the main body with a non-combustible gas.

A device for offloading data recorded in a host vehicle. The device includes an interface module configured to interface the device to one or more data recording devices in the host vehicle. A memory module is also provided and configured to independently store data from the data recording devices. A wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the stored data when one or more predefined criterion in the stored data and/or recording devices are met.

A device for offloading data recorded in a host vehicle. The device includes an interface module configured to interface the device to one or more data recording devices in the host vehicle. A memory module is also provided and configured to independently store data from the data recording devices. A wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the stored data when one or more predefined criterion in the stored data and/or recording devices are met.

An aircraft is operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween forming a central region. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array and a flight control system are coupled to the airframe. A nose cone and an afterbody are each selectively coupled to the airframe. In a cargo delivery flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are coupled to the airframe such that the nose cone and the afterbody each extend between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons to form a cargo enclosure with an aerodynamic outer shape. In a minimal drag flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are not coupled to the airframe such that air passes through the central region during flight.

An aircraft is operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft includes an airframe having first and second wings with first and second pylons extending therebetween forming a central region. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array and a flight control system are coupled to the airframe. A nose cone and an afterbody are each selectively coupled to the airframe. In a cargo delivery flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are coupled to the airframe such that the nose cone and the afterbody each extend between the first and second wings and between first and second pylons to form a cargo enclosure with an aerodynamic outer shape. In a minimal drag flight configuration, the nose cone and the afterbody are not coupled to the airframe such that air passes through the central region during flight.

An aircraft for capturing drones includes an airframe having a drone channel with first and second wings extending outboard thereof. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings such that the rotor disc of each propulsion assembly is outboard of the drone channel. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A mesh bag is coupled to the drone channel forming a drone capture net. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft is also configured to overtake a drone during flight in the biplane orientation such that the drone passes through the drone channel into the mesh bag, thereby capturing the drone in the drone capture net.

An aircraft for capturing drones includes an airframe having a drone channel with first and second wings extending outboard thereof. A two-dimensional distributed thrust array includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to each of the first and second wings such that the rotor disc of each propulsion assembly is outboard of the drone channel. A flight control system is coupled to the airframe and is operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. A mesh bag is coupled to the drone channel forming a drone capture net. The aircraft is configured to convert between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft is also configured to overtake a drone during flight in the biplane orientation such that the drone passes through the drone channel into the mesh bag, thereby capturing the drone in the drone capture net.