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Systems and methods for controlling an aerial vehicle using lateral propulsion and vertical movement

  • US 10,558,219 B2
  • Filed: 09/21/2017
  • Issued: 02/11/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An aerial vehicle control system for controlling a lighter-than-air aerial vehicle, the control system comprising:

  • a lighter-than-air aerial vehicle including;

    an outer envelope;

    one or more ballonets received within the outer envelope, the one or more ballonets being configured to control buoyancy of the aerial vehicle;

    an altitude controller configured to adjust the buoyancy of the aerial vehicle by modifying a state of the one or more ballonets; and

    a lateral propulsion controller configured to control one or more propellers of the aerial vehicle in order to manage at least one of position or movement of the aerial vehicle during flight; and

    a computing device remote from the aerial vehicle, the computing device including;

    a processor; and

    a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

    obtain location data corresponding to a location of the aerial vehicle;

    obtain wind data;

    determine an altitude command and at least one of a latitude command and a longitude command, based on at least one of the location data or the wind data;

    cause the altitude controller of the aerial vehicle to implement the altitude command to increase or decrease a mass of the aerial vehicle; and

    cause the lateral propulsion controller of the aerial vehicle to implement at least one of the latitude command or the longitude command to propel the aerial vehicle in a selected lateral direction.

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