A system for docking an aerostat on a receiving structure, including an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be controlled so as to move between the aerostat and the receiving structure, carrying a first end of a cable that has a second end fixed to the aerostat or the receiving structure, and to attach said first end to the receiving structure or to the aerostat such that the cable connects the aerostat to the receiving structure.

A system for docking an aerostat on a receiving structure, including an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be controlled so as to move between the aerostat and the receiving structure, carrying a first end of a cable that has a second end fixed to the aerostat or the receiving structure, and to attach said first end to the receiving structure or to the aerostat such that the cable connects the aerostat to the receiving structure.

A tethered aerial system includes an on-board fuel cell for powering on-board electronics and a tether cable which is less conductive than air. The tether cable includes a pipe for carrying a flow of gas to the fuel cell and/or maintain the gas level in a lighter-than-air platform, so that the tethered aerial system can remain operational for an extended period of time. The system is particularly applicable for maintaining communication links in remote areas, agriculture and applications in the IoT (Internet of Things), event coverage, interactive marketing, for post-disaster situations in rural areas and at mining sites or construction sites in remote environments. The system also is immune to rays.

A tethered aerial system includes an on-board fuel cell for powering on-board electronics and a tether cable which is less conductive than air. The tether cable includes a pipe for carrying a flow of gas to the fuel cell and/or maintain the gas level in a lighter-than-air platform, so that the tethered aerial system can remain operational for an extended period of time. The system is particularly applicable for maintaining communication links in remote areas, agriculture and applications in the IoT (Internet of Things), event coverage, interactive marketing, for post-disaster situations in rural areas and at mining sites or construction sites in remote environments. The system also is immune to rays.

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 device (500) for controlling the ground clearance of an airship (200), the airship being provided with two lateral anchoring points (212), said device comprising: a frame (502), on which a weight (504) is fixed; two (rigid) arms (506), each arm having one end, called proximal end, that is articulated on the frame and one end, called distal end; means for moving the distal end of each arm between a position, called retention position, in which each distal end is in contact with a lateral anchoring end of the airship that is said to be connected to said distal end, and a position, called unlocked position, in which there is no contact between the airship and the docking station; and means for detachably fixing, in the retaining position, the respective distal end of each arm on the associated respective lateral anchoring point.

A device (500) for controlling the ground clearance of an airship (200), the airship being provided with two lateral anchoring points (212), said device comprising: a frame (502), on which a weight (504) is fixed; two (rigid) arms (506), each arm having one end, called proximal end, that is articulated on the frame and one end, called distal end; means for moving the distal end of each arm between a position, called retention position, in which each distal end is in contact with a lateral anchoring end of the airship that is said to be connected to said distal end, and a position, called unlocked position, in which there is no contact between the airship and the docking station; and means for detachably fixing, in the retaining position, the respective distal end of each arm on the associated respective lateral anchoring point.

An anchoring platform is disclosed for captive aircraft that addresses problems when handling captive aerostats, including excessive workload required to switch between flying and anchored states. The anchoring platform includes an anchoring device. Cords, together with a confluence point, are wound into the anchoring device, by 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.

An anchoring vehicle for anchoring an airship at the tail whilst coupled to a mooring mast at the bow. Airships are generally coupled at the bow to a mooring-mast after landing on the ground. However, vertical gusts can result to a considerable amount of damage to the airship with this mechanism. To avoid such damage, the proposed anchoring mechanism designed as an anchoring vehicle, is coupled via an anchor-mast to the tail of the airship near the height of its middle axis. Thus, the vehicle stabilizes the airship vertically and can independently maneuver horizontally without considerable rolling resistance to a predefined airship position, thus preventing a tilting moment. The all-terrain, autonomous anchoring vehicle captures direction and strength data of horizontal deflection caused by wind power via sensors on the anchoring-mast. A control unit regulates the drive systems for navigation and wheel drive.

An anchoring vehicle for anchoring an airship at the tail whilst coupled to a mooring mast at the bow. Airships are generally coupled at the bow to a mooring-mast after landing on the ground. However, vertical gusts can result to a considerable amount of damage to the airship with this mechanism. To avoid such damage, the proposed anchoring mechanism designed as an anchoring vehicle, is coupled via an anchor-mast to the tail of the airship near the height of its middle axis. Thus, the vehicle stabilizes the airship vertically and can independently maneuver horizontally without considerable rolling resistance to a predefined airship position, thus preventing a tilting moment. The all-terrain, autonomous anchoring vehicle captures direction and strength data of horizontal deflection caused by wind power via sensors on the anchoring-mast. A control unit regulates the drive systems for navigation and wheel drive.