Multi-Mission Frameless Airship Platform
First Claim
1. An airship comprising primarily parallel, tubular, pneumatic cells filled, pressurized and/or super-pressurized with a lifting gas, made of ultra-high-molecular-weight, high-modulus polyethylene or similar material, and welded, spliced seamed, and/or taped or otherwise fused together, or struts made of high strength, lightweight aluminum composite or similar high strength, lightweight material to form the airframe of an airship that can include an internal tubular honeycomb of elongated pressurized pneumatic cells that extend a portion or the entire length of the airship, which substantially strengthens the structure of the airframe, eliminating to large measure the need for additional internal framework support, thereby reducing the weight of the airship, enhancing body strength, cladding strength, insulation properties and balancing requirements of flexibility and rigidity of the airship while improving the airship'"'"'s operational longevity and payload capacity;
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Abstract
Multi-Mission Frameless Airship Platform (MFAP) leverages composite material science to achieve a frameless lightweight airframe design enabling increased speed, lift and cargo capacity. Deployable/retrievable high-value modules provide enhanced operational and mission flexibility. Unified power electronics enable hybrid integration of propulsion, power generation (e.g. diesel generator, photovoltaic solar, etc.), energy storage and tethered wind-power generation for both on-grid and off-grid electrical power delivery for airborne operations and ground operations. Onboard antenna systems serve as cell phone towers.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. An airship comprising primarily parallel, tubular, pneumatic cells filled, pressurized and/or super-pressurized with a lifting gas, made of ultra-high-molecular-weight, high-modulus polyethylene or similar material, and welded, spliced seamed, and/or taped or otherwise fused together, or struts made of high strength, lightweight aluminum composite or similar high strength, lightweight material to form the airframe of an airship that can include an internal tubular honeycomb of elongated pressurized pneumatic cells that extend a portion or the entire length of the airship, which substantially strengthens the structure of the airframe, eliminating to large measure the need for additional internal framework support, thereby reducing the weight of the airship, enhancing body strength, cladding strength, insulation properties and balancing requirements of flexibility and rigidity of the airship while improving the airship'"'"'s operational longevity and payload capacity;
- 2. An airship that can quickly travel to a disaster area or other location by means of dual purpose hybrid airship propulsion/wind power generation (Pro/Gen) systems that can alternatively propel the airship in flight at enhanced speeds and generate power when the airship is tethered to a ground anchor;
- 11. The airship has disaster, emergency, or military response capability;
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16. An airship with deployable modules or gondolas that function as passenger cabins and can be lowered and retraced back into the belly of the airframe while the airship is tethered or when the airship is flying at safe speeds, to support environmental monitoring, filmmaking, sightseeing or other activities;
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17. An airship propulsion system which has multiple hinged robotic arms that can orient the propulsion for tight quarter maneuvering whereby the propulsion system has multiple hinged robotic arms in which the attached propellers are driven by an internal driveshaft connecting the propellers through the robotic arms to internal or external motors on the airship;
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18. A frameless airship with a detachable modular hard-shell lower body and wing assembly that attaches to a central core strut within the airframe, in which the central core strut extends the length of the ship from the nose to the tail of the airframe, as is surrounded and supported by a honeycomb of tubular, pneumatic cells aligned parallel to the central support strut;
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19. A frameless airship with a detachable modular hard-shell lower body that has a hold in the lower portion of the body to accommodate modular service stations that can be lowered to the ground by means of cables and winches within the hard-shell unit.
Specification