A lighter than air airship (1) comprising a gas-filled flexible hull (2) which is elongate with a longitudinal axis (1′) and with a front end (4) and a rear end (5), wherein a harness-structure (3) is abutting an outer side of the hull (2) and not perturbing the hull and not extending through the hull, the harness-structure (3) is made of a bendable material and carries a propeller engine (10) for forward thrust of the airship (1), rechargeable batteries (11) for providing electrical power to the propeller engine (10), and a solar panel for providing electrical power to recharge the batteries (11).

A lighter than air airship (1) comprising a gas-filled flexible hull (2) which is elongate with a longitudinal axis (1′) and with a front end (4) and a rear end (5), wherein a harness-structure (3) is abutting an outer side of the hull (2) and not perturbing the hull and not extending through the hull, the harness-structure (3) is made of a bendable material and carries a propeller engine (10) for forward thrust of the airship (1), rechargeable batteries (11) for providing electrical power to the propeller engine (10), and a solar panel for providing electrical power to recharge the batteries (11).

An airship is equipped with a compact solar generator using concentration to supply the airship in flight with electrical energy from solar radiation. The compact solar generator comprises a first set of row(s) of bifacial photovoltaic solar cells, arranged parallel to a longitudinal central axis of the airship, and a solar radiation concentrator for making solar rays converge towards rear faces of the bifacial solar cells of the first set. The solar radiation concentrator is a second set of one or more local solar radiation concentrator(s), wherein each local concentrator is paired with a corresponding row of solar cells and comprises a reflector of convex form suitable for making solar radiation converge towards the rear faces of the solar cells of the paired row.

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.

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.

A solar powered airship includes a cabin, at least one fuselage having an interior volume filled with a volume of a lighter-than-air gas such as helium, and a wing affixed to the fuselage. A plurality of solar panels are affixed to the wing and to the fuselage. A plurality of rotors are affixed to the wing, wherein each rotor is powered via an electric motor having a battery that is operably connected to the plurality of solar panels, thereby allowing for continuous flight. The solar powered airship may further include propellors, which may also be powered via the solar panels, or which may include gasoline powered motors. The solar powered airship can include various configurations and numbers of fuselages, wings, rotors, and propellors.

A solar powered airship includes a cabin, at least one fuselage having an interior volume filled with a volume of a lighter-than-air gas such as helium, and a wing affixed to the fuselage. A plurality of solar panels are affixed to the wing and to the fuselage. A plurality of rotors are affixed to the wing, wherein each rotor is powered via an electric motor having a battery that is operably connected to the plurality of solar panels, thereby allowing for continuous flight. The solar powered airship may further include propellors, which may also be powered via the solar panels, or which may include gasoline powered motors. The solar powered airship can include various configurations and numbers of fuselages, wings, rotors, and propellors.

A multilayer sealed skin, in particular for an inflatable structure and that includes a first polymer film, a reinforcing fabric disposed on the first polymer film and a second polymer film disposed on the reinforcing fabric and adhered by means of an adhesive to the first polymer film through cavities in the reinforcing fabric. The skin can be applied to the production of an inflatable structural element such as an inflatable beam for which the skin forms an outer wall of the structural element and for which the first film of the skin forms an inner face of the outer wall of the structural element, and the second film forms an outer face of the wall.

An airship utilizing an innovative lift mechanism featuring dynamic and static vacuum chambers. The lift created by the vacuums created in the chambers elevates the ship into the atmosphere, thereby eliminating the need for lighter than air gases.

An airship utilizing an innovative lift mechanism featuring dynamic and static vacuum chambers. The lift created by the vacuums created in the chambers elevates the ship into the atmosphere, thereby eliminating the need for lighter than air gases.