Abstract:
System and method for aiding the accuracy of airdrop missions by performing localized weather data collection in a column of air and then subsequently storing, decimating and forwarding the data to a remote location. A first aircraft flies to the geographic location of the desired airdrop, deploys an atmospheric conditions sensing dropsonde, collects the data from the dropsonde, stores that data, then transmits that data or a decimated subset of that data either once or any number of consecutive times, to a second aircraft located at a predetermined distance from the first aircraft.
Abstract:
An aerial unit includes a connecting element arranged to connect a ground unit to the aerial unit. The ground unit may include a connecting element manipulator, for altering an effective length of the connecting element and a ground unit controller for controlling the connecting element manipulator. A positioning unit is arranged to image the aerial unit and to generate metadata about a location of the aerial unit. An interfacing module is provided for coupling a payload to the aerial unit. At least one of the ground unit and the aerial unit may include a controller that is arranged to control, at least in response to the metadata, at least one of a first propeller motor and at least one steering element to affect at least one of the location of the aerial unit and the orientation of the aerial unit.
Abstract:
A new fabrication method for nanovoids-imbedded bismuth telluride (Bi—Te) material with low dimensional (quantum-dots, quantum-wires, or quantum-wells) structure was conceived during the development of advanced thermoelectric (TE) materials. Bismuth telluride is currently the best-known candidate material for solid-state TE cooling devices because it possesses the highest TE figure of merit at room temperature. The innovative process described here allows nanometer-scale voids to be incorporated in Bi—Te material. The final nanovoid structure such as void size, size distribution, void location, etc. can be also controlled under various process conditions.
Abstract:
An aerial unit includes a connecting element arranged to connect a ground unit to the aerial unit. The ground unit may include a connecting element manipulator, for altering an effective length of the connecting element and a ground unit controller for controlling the connecting element manipulator. A positioning unit is arranged to image the aerial unit and to generate metadata about a location of the aerial unit. An interfacing module is provided for coupling a payload to the aerial unit. At least one of the ground unit and the aerial unit may include a controller that is arranged to control, at least in response to the metadata, at least one of a first propeller motor and at least one steering element to affect at least one of the location of the aerial unit and the orientation of the aerial unit.
Abstract:
An aerial unit that includes a first propeller; a second propeller that is spaced apart from the first propeller and is below the first propeller; a propelling module that is configured to rotate the first propeller and the second propeller about a first axis; an apertured duct that comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion. The first duct portion surrounds the first propeller. The second duct portion surrounds the second propeller. The apertured duct defines at least one aperture at an intermediate area that is positioned below the first propeller and is above the second propeller. The aggregate size of the at least one aperture is at least fifty percent of a size of the intermediate area; a frame; and at least one steering element; an interfacing module arranged to be connected to a connecting element that couples the aerial unit to a ground unit. The propelling module and the duct are connected to the frame.
Abstract:
An aerial vehicle is described which comprises: a first compartment for holding a lighter than air gas; a second compartment for holding atmospheric air and having an inlet and an outlet; a solar panel for converting sunlight into electricity; a compressor for pumping atmospheric air through the inlet into the second compartment; control means for controlling the pitch and yaw of the vehicle; and a controller for controlling the buoyancy of the vehicle via the compressor and the outlet such that the vehicle is either lighter than the surrounding air and rising or heavier than the surrounding air and falling, and for controlling the control means such that the rising and falling motion includes a horizontal component. In another embodiment the solar panel is replaced by an engine and a fuel tank for storing fuel for the engine is also provided.The aerial vehicle can remain airborne for extended periods by using buoyancy propulsion.In the embodiments including a solar panel, a system including a light transmission station may be provided to supply energy to the solar panel from the light transmission station rather than relying on the incident sunlight alone.A method of flight using buoyancy propulsion is also described.
Abstract:
A span-loaded, highly flexible flying wing, having horizontal control surfaces mounted aft of the wing on extended beams to form local pitch-control devices. Each of five spanwise wing segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other wing segments, to minimize inter-segment loads. Wing dihedral is controlled by separately controlling the local pitch-control devices consisting of a control surface on a boom, such that inboard and outboard wing segment pitch changes relative to each other, and thus relative inboard and outboard lift is varied.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, and a reflexed trailing edge. The aircraft comprises a flying wing extending laterally between two ends and a center point. The wing is swept and has a relatively constant chord. The aircraft also includes a power module configured to provide power via a fuel cell. The fuel cell stores liquid hydrogen as fuel, but uses gaseous hydrogen in the fuel cell. A fuel tank heater is used to control the boil-rate of the fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel cell compresses ambient air for an oxidizer, and operates with the fuel and oxidizer at pressures below one atmosphere. The aircraft of the invention includes a support structure including a plurality of supports, where the supports form a tetrahedron that affixes to the wing.
Abstract:
This disclosure provides a solar rechargeable aircraft that is inexpensive to produce, is steerable, and can remain airborne almost indefinitely. The preferred aircraft is a span-loaded flying wing, having no fuselage or rudder. Traveling at relatively slow speeds, and having a two-hundred foot wingspan that mounts photovoltaic cells on most all of the wing's top surface, the aircraft uses only differential thrust of its eight propellers to turn. Each of five segments of the wing has one or more motors and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other segments, to avoid loading them. Five two-sided photovoltaic arrays, in all, are mounted on the wing, and receive photovoltaic energy both incident on top of the wing, and which is incident also from below, through a bottom, transparent surface. The aircraft includes hinges and actuators capable of providing an adjustable dihedral for the wing. The actuators can be motors or control surfaces. Alternately, the actuators can be movable masses within the wing, which may be capable of deforming the wing to alter the aerodynamics of the wing, and thereby actuate the hinges. Because of wing dihedral, the aircraft includes motors both above and below the center of drag, and the aircraft uses differential thrust to control aircraft pitch. The aircraft has a wide variety of applications, which include serving as a long term high altitude platform that serves to link a ground station using radio wave signals and a satellite using optical signals.
Abstract:
An airship system according to the invention has an airship (110), a base station (120), and at least three measurement points. The airship (110) emits ultrasonic waves upon receiving an instruction from the base station (120). Measurement point units (S1-S3) receive the ultrasonic waves, and thereby measure distances from the airship (110) to the respective measurement points. An MPU that is incorporated in the base station (120) calculates a position of the airship (110). The base station (120) controls a route of the airship (110) based on the calculated position by sending a flight instruction to the airship (110). In this manner, an airship system can be provided that makes it unnecessary for an operator to pilot the airship and that can reduce the load weight and the power consumption of the airship.