Abstract: Airship handling devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. An airship handling device in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, for example, can include a first support member mountable to a ground vehicle. The device can also include a second support member operably coupled to the first support member and configured to rotatably move relative to the first support member about a support member axis. The second support member is out of contact with the ground vehicle. The device can further include a line attachment portion carried by the second support member and positioned to releasably couple a flexible handling line from an airship to the second support member. The handling line is not coupled to a winch.
Abstract: Airborne transmission/reception arrays and associated systems and methods are disclosed. An airborne image display device in accordance with one embodiment includes a plurality of electrically interconnected display units, with individual display units including at least one flexible support member mountable to an exterior surface of an airborne device. The display unit can further include a plurality of pixel carriers supported by the flexible support member, with each pixel carrier having multiple, spaced apart pixels. In other embodiments, the systems can include other transmission/reception arrays, for example, radar arrays or solar arrays, in lieu of the display device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 20, 2007
Date of Patent:
December 20, 2011
Assignee:
American Blimp Corporation
Inventors:
James R. Thiele, Rudolf H. Bartel, Lance L. Nordby