Abstract: An airship hull is disclosed. The airship hull comprises a gas-tight shape fabricated from a membrane. The airship hull comprises one or more fibers applied to an outer surface of the gas-tight shape in a continuous manner such that a particular one of the one or more fibers wraps around a circumference of the gas-tight shape multiple times, wherein the applied one or more fibers are affixed to the outer surface of the gas-tight shape.

Abstract: An airship hull is disclosed. The airship hull comprises a gas-tight shape fabricated from a membrane. The airship hull comprises one or more fibers applied to an outer surface of the gas-tight shape in a continuous manner such that a particular one of the one or more fibers wraps around a circumference of the gas-tight shape multiple times, wherein the applied one or more fibers are affixed to the outer surface of the gas-tight shape.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a volume of a ballonet are provided. In some aspects, the system may include a plurality of sensors configured to transmit a plurality of signals toward an interior surface of the ballonet and to receive the plurality of signals reflected off of the interior surface of the ballonet, a distance calculating module configured to calculate a plurality of distances from the plurality of sensors to the interior surface of the ballonet using the received plurality of signals, and a mapping module configured to create a three-dimensional surface using the calculated plurality of distances. The system may further include a measurement module configured to calculate the volume of the ballonet using the three-dimensional surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a volume of a ballonet are provided. In some aspects, the system may include a plurality of sensors configured to transmit a plurality of signals toward an interior surface of the ballonet and to receive the plurality of signals reflected off of the interior surface of the ballonet, a distance calculating module configured to calculate a plurality of distances from the plurality of sensors to the interior surface of the ballonet using the received plurality of signals, and a mapping module configured to create a three-dimensional surface using the calculated plurality of distances. The system may further include a measurement module configured to calculate the volume of the ballonet using the three-dimensional surface.

Abstract: An air vehicle includes a bag skirt extendable along a portion of a hull of the air vehicle. The bag skirt is inflatable to provide an air cushion during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The air vehicle also includes a cover roller adjacent the bag skirt, and a cover portion coupled to the cover roller. The cover roller is operable between exposed position and unexposed positions to expose and hide the bag skirt with the cover portion. The cover roller includes an extensible shaft and a pad securely wrapped around the extensible shaft. The extensible shaft is capable of being rotated along a shaft axis. One end of the extensible shaft is pivotally coupled to the hull by an anchor. A circumference of the cover roller is configured as a function of a distance between the exposed and the unexposed positions.

Abstract: An air vehicle includes a bag skirt extendable along a portion of a hull of the air vehicle. The bag skirt is inflatable to provide an air cushion during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The air vehicle also includes a cover roller adjacent the bag skirt, and a cover portion coupled to the cover roller. The cover roller is operable between exposed position and unexposed positions to expose and hide the bag skirt with the cover portion. The cover roller includes an extensible shaft and a pad securely wrapped around the extensible shaft. The extensible shaft is capable of being rotated along a shaft axis. One end of the extensible shaft is pivotally coupled to the hull by an anchor. A circumference of the cover roller is configured as a function of a distance between the exposed and the unexposed positions.

Abstract: A hybrid air vehicle is disclosed in which a cover is provided for a plurality of air cushioned landing pads to reduce drag when airborne. The pad is inflatable to provide an air cushioned during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The cover can include a first cover portion and a second cover portion. A first cover roller of the first cover portion and a matching second cover roller of the second cover portion abut to cover the corresponding pad. The first cover roller and the second cover roller, which are separate and free from a physical linkage there between, are separable in an eyelid fashion to expose the corresponding pad. A separation gap between the first cover roller and the second cover roller is increased or decreased by roller straps to cover or expose the corresponding pad.

Abstract: A hybrid air vehicle is disclosed in which a cover is provided for a plurality of air cushioned landing pads to reduce drag when airborne. The pad is inflatable to provide an air cushioned during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle. The cover can include a first cover portion and a second cover portion. A first cover roller of the first cover portion and a matching second cover roller of the second cover portion abut to cover the corresponding pad. The first cover roller and the second cover roller, which are separate and free from a physical linkage there between, are separable in an eyelid fashion to expose the corresponding pad. A separation gap between the first cover roller and the second cover roller is increased or decreased by roller straps to cover or expose the corresponding pad.

Abstract: A propulsion system for a non-rigid and at least semi-buoyant vehicle, the vehicle including a pressure stabilized gasbag having a gondola mounted on the bottom thereof. The gasbag further includes catenary curtains extending from the top of gasbag to the bottom of the gasbag and attached thereto. In detail, the propulsion system includes a first pair of tubular members attached, preferably pivotally attached, by one of their ends to the gondola and which extend through the air bag and exit out the top thereof and having propulsion units, preferably turbo-prop engines, attached to their opposite ends. A second pair of tubular members is attached by one of their ends to the gondola, preferably pivotally attached, and extends into the gasbag and having their opposite ends terminating therewithin. A horizontal tubular member extends through the gasbag and has its ends extending out of the sides thereof and is attached to the opposite ends of the second pair of tubular members in the middle thereof.

Abstract: A non-ridged semi-buoyant vehicle includes a pressure stabilized gasbag having a longitudinal, vertical and horizontal axis, top, bottom and side surfaces and front and rear ends and an aerodynamic shape capable of producing lift. Within the gasbag are first and second vertical catenary curtains attached to the top and bottom surfaces between the sides of the gasbag. These first and second catenary curtains are positioned on either side of the longitudinal axis extending from the front end along a first portion of the gasbag. A pair of first and second Y shaped catenary curtains are coupled to the first and second vertical catenary curtains and extend along a second portion of the gasbag. The arms of each of the Y shaped curtains are attached to the top surface and the legs are attached to the bottom surface of the gasbag. First and second pairs of vertical catenary curtains are coupled to the first and second pairs of Y shaped catenary curtains, respectively, and extend to the rear end of said gasbag.

Abstract: The invention is a non-ridged, semi-buoyant vehicle. In detail, the invention includes a pressure stabilized gasbag having front and rear ends and an aerodynamic shape capable of producing lift, and longitudinal, vertical and horizontal axis, the tail end of the gasbag extending outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward said front end at an acute angle to the horizontal axis. A horizontal tail surface is mounted outboard of the rear end of the gasbag, having a trailing edge extending outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward the front end at the acute angle to the horizontal axis. A horizontal ridged beam is mounted outboard of the rear end of the gasbag that extends outward along the horizontal axis from each side of the longitudinal axis toward the front end at the acute angle to the horizontal axis with the horizontal tail surface mounted to the beam. The preferred acute angle is approximately 20 degrees.