A system for supporting a camera during aerial photography or videography includes a gimbal, a platform, a first flywheel, an onboard electronics module and a link rod with a longitudinal axis. The gimbal includes an inner ring external to and concentric with the link rod and coupled thereto for relative rotation about the longitudinal axis, a middle ring external to and concentric with the inner ring and coupled thereto for relative pivoting about a second axis nearly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an outer ring external to and concentric with the middle ring and coupled thereto for relative pivoting about a third axis perpendicular to the second axis. The platform is provided to the outer ring. The first flywheel is mounted at a first position on the platform so as to balance with a camera at a second position and an onboard electronics module at a third position.

A system for supporting a camera during aerial photography or videography includes a gimbal, a platform, a first flywheel, an onboard electronics module and a link rod with a longitudinal axis. The gimbal includes an inner ring external to and concentric with the link rod and coupled thereto for relative rotation about the longitudinal axis, a middle ring external to and concentric with the inner ring and coupled thereto for relative pivoting about a second axis nearly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an outer ring external to and concentric with the middle ring and coupled thereto for relative pivoting about a third axis perpendicular to the second axis. The platform is provided to the outer ring. The first flywheel is mounted at a first position on the platform so as to balance with a camera at a second position and an onboard electronics module at a third position.

The invention mainly relates to a device for automatically releasing, maintaining in flight, and recovering a tethered aerostat. The device includes a platform having a rotatably mobile part, a device for recovering the tethered balloon secured to the mobile part, and at least first and second winches. A first cable called umbilical cable is connected to the first winch and has an end provided to be secured to the aerostat. A second cable called sling is divided into at least an adapted mooring portion having an end provided to be secured to aerostat, and a connecting portion connected to the second winch, which connecting portion has a linear mass smaller than or equal to seven grams per meter and a length greater than that of the mooring portion.

An airship dynamic adaptive harness is provided to stabilize airships and particularly a tethered aerostat in high winds and atmospheric changes. A novel adaptive device accommodates the supply of a lift gas and simultaneously controls opposing cables in a tethered harness with a cascade control system that provides an immediate and particularly the dynamic control of roll, yaw and particularly the pitch of the aerostat in response to real time environmental flight conditions and impart stability to the airship in high winds using a stability zone geometric suspension control system and enhance the duration of in flight missions. A lifting gas replenishment system and particularly a ground based lifting gas replenishment system adds long duration deployment to the dynamic adaptability to high wind conditions for long term deployment.

The present disclosure relates to an anchoring platform for captive aircraft that addresses one of the main problems when handling captive aerostats, which is the excessive workload required to switch between flying and anchored states. The technology disclosed herein requires only one person to install the structure and the operation can be performed remotely or by a person. Additionally, cords, together with the confluence point, are wound into the anchoring device, the winch. The structure for anchoring the captive aircraft is the cradle which bears the aerostat, while the winch exerts tension to hold same static in the structure.

The present disclosure relates to an anchoring platform for captive aircraft that addresses one of the main problems when handling captive aerostats, which is the excessive workload required to switch between flying and anchored states. The technology disclosed herein requires only one person to install the structure and the operation can be performed remotely or by a person. Additionally, cords, together with the confluence point, are wound into the anchoring device, the winch. The structure for anchoring the captive aircraft is the cradle which bears the aerostat, while the winch exerts tension to hold same static in the structure.

Balloon altitude control is provided. A system includes a balloon formed from a material having latex. The balloon includes a top portion that is narrower than a middle portion of the balloon. The balloon includes a bottom portion that is in contact with a cable to tether the balloon to a gondola. The bottom portion of the balloon is narrower than the middle portion of the balloon. The system includes a first valve located at the top portion of the balloon. The first valve can open to release gas from within the balloon, and close to at least partially prevent the release of the gas from within the balloon. The system includes a gondola. The gondola includes a control system that can open the first valve to release the gas responsive to a determination to decrease buoyancy of the system.

A remote control system for an aircraft includes an aircraft of the Magnus-effect type. The aircraft includes a cylinder extending along a longitudinal axis. The cylinder is able to rotate about the longitudinal axis. A pair of rotatable are arranged at a distance from the aircraft. A drive means is designed to drive a rotational movement of the pair of rotatable elements. A connection cable is arranged to connect the pair of rotatable elements to the cylinder of the aircraft in such a way that the rotational movement of the pair of rotatable elements, driven by the drive means, is mechanically transmitted to the cylinder of the aircraft so as to cause the cylinder to rotate about the longitudinal axis.

A method for launch of an airship includes connecting a cargo airship to a second airship that is not positively buoyant at the launch site, launching the cargo airship, transferring lifting gas from the cargo airship to the second airship where said lifting gas is carried by the cargo airship while aloft; and releasing the second airship from the cargo airship. A releasable payload return vehicle is also provided, wherein the payload return vehicle generates aerodynamic forces while it is mated to the cargo airship.

An aerial balloon system comprising a payload platform suspended from an inflated balloon by means of a balloon cable, and an anchoring cable attaching the platform to an anchor point beneath it. The balloon cable and anchoring cable are attached to the payload platform by means of a connecting element pivotally attached to the platform. The platform may include a servo controlled pitch stabilizing system using the input from a pitch sensor mounted on the platform to control an angular actuator to change the angle which the platform makes with the pivoted connection element. Additionally, the platform may include a servo controlled orientation stabilizing system using the input from an orientation sensor mounted thereon to control the departure of the orientation of the platform from a predetermined orientation. This may be readily accomplished using a variable pitch rotor, the pitch being controlled by the orientation sensor signal.