94results about How to "High altitude" patented technology

In one aspect, a hybrid airship including an outer shell, a plurality of helium filled gas envelopes, and an all-electric propulsion system may have the shape of a delta-wing. In some embodiments, the hybrid airship may be launched using buoyancy lift alone and aerodynamic lift may be provided by the all-electric propulsion system. In one aspect, a photovoltaic array and a high energy density power storage system may be combined to power the propulsion system making the propulsion system regenerative. The delta-wing shape can provide a surface area large enough to accommodate very large circular or elliptical transmission devices. By continuously recharging the power storage system, the hybrid airship in accordance with some embodiments can stay aloft at an operational altitude of at least about 85,000 ft for months or even years. The hybrid airship may function as an airborne military communications relay platform.

A hybrid aerial vehicle is optimized, for example, and not by way of limitation, to operate above 100,000 feet in altitude and provide persistent and maneuverable flight while carrying a wide array of communications and sensing payloads. The hybrid vehicle may use the high altitude winds to gain altitude by pitching up with the center of gravity (CG) control and using its propulsion drive to thrust into the wind to create aerodynamic lift to rise above the neutral buoyancy altitude. The hybrid vehicle will pitch down with the CG control so as to use gravity and propulsion to accelerate. Yaw control directs the flight towards any compass direction by rotating the gondola. This maneuvering capability permits the vehicle to station operate persistently, even in high winds. The lighter-than-air inflatable saucer shape is optimized for maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section to the prevailing wind from any direction in the vehicle horizontal plane. A gondola below the saucer contains a motor, batteries, solar collector, sensors, and yaw and CG control mechanisms.

Systems and / or methods for forming a multiple-articulated flying system (skybase) having a high aspect ratio wing platform, operable to loiter over an area of interest at a high altitude are provided. In certain exemplary embodiments, autonomous modular flyers join together in a wingtip-to-wingtip manner. Such modular flyers may derive their power from insolation. The autonomous flyers may include sensors which operate individually, or collectively after a skybase is formed. The skybase preferably may be aggregated, disaggregated, and / or re-aggregated as called for by the prevailing conditions. Thus, it may be possible to provide a “forever-on-station” aircraft.

An aerial platform comprising a kite providing a level of directional stability when elevated by the wind, and an inflated balloon attached above the kite with a cord. The payload is attached to the kite. The physical separation of the balloon from the kite isolates the payload from shocks generated by the balloon. Additional isolation is provided by use of an elastic attachment cord. Electric power is supplied to the aerial platform by means of an optical fiber receiving optical power from a ground-based source, and conversion of the optical power to electrical power on board the platform. In order to provide a strong tether line, the optical fiber is plaited with a jacket braided from high tensile strength fibers. An aerial laser transmitter is described using a ground based laser source transmitting laser power through an optical fiber to an aerial platform for transmission from the platform.

This invention is a method and supporting apparatus for autonomously capturing, servicing and de-orbiting a free-flying spacecraft, such as a satellite, using robotics. The capture of the spacecraft includes the steps of optically seeking and ranging the satellite using LIDAR; and matching tumble rates, rendezvousing and berthing with the satellite. Servicing of the spacecraft may be done using supervised autonomy, which is allowing a robot to execute a sequence of instructions without intervention from a remote human-occupied location. These instructions may be packaged at the remote station in a script and uplinked to the robot for execution upon remote command giving authority to proceed. Alternately, the instructions may be generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) logic onboard the robot. In either case, the remote operator maintains the ability to abort an instruction or script at any time, as well as the ability to intervene using manual override to teleoperate the robot. In one embodiment, a vehicle used for carrying out the method of this invention comprises an ejection module, which includes the robot, and a de-orbit module. Once servicing is completed by the robot, the ejection module separates from the de-orbit module, leaving the de-orbit module attached to the satellite for de-orbiting the same at a future time. Upon separation, the ejection module can either de-orbit itself or rendezvous with another satellite for servicing. The ability to de-orbit a spacecraft further allows the opportunity to direct the landing of the spent satellite in a safe location away from population centers, such as the ocean.

A two-stage space vehicle is provided for achieving low earth orbit that includes a carrier and an orbiter. The carrier has a large airfoil area relative to its dry weight, and the thrust of the rocket engine is controlled such that the carrier achieves a launch altitude and speed for the orbiter without exceeding a wingloading pressure beyond 3,500 Pa., which allows the carrier to be inexpensively constructed. Liquid propellant for the rocket engine is advantageously stored within the relatively large airfoil of the carrier, which is preferably a delta wing. The ratio of airfoil area to dry weight is about 33 m2 per ton, which allows the carrier to descend and land after launching the orbiter with low wingloading on the order of 300 Pa.

An amusement ride system and method are described. In some embodiments, an amusement ride system may be generally related to water amusement attractions and rides. An amusement ride system may include a system for conveying a participant from a first source of water to a second source of water. A system for conveying a participant from a first source of water to a second source of water may include a belt and a belt movement system. A system for conveying a participant from a first source of water to a second source of water may include a support structure which functions to provide support for the belt and belt movement system, one or more coupling mechanisms functioning to releasably couple one or more ends of the support structure to a portion of a water amusement park, and / or one or more spatial adjustment mechanisms coupled to the support structure.

An aircraft system includes three or more aircraft and a flight control system. The flight control system controls flight of the aircraft so as to maintain the three aircraft in an inverted-V flight formation. Specifically, two leading aircraft fly along parallel flight paths and maintain substantially identical longitudinal positions along the parallel flight paths. A trailing aircraft flies along a flight path centered between the trailing vortices or flight paths of the leading aircraft and has a longitudinal position that is behind the two leading aircraft. The leading aircraft maintain a lateral separation distance such that the induced drag for the three aircraft formation is minimized for example by setting a lateral separation distance between wingtips of 0.8 to 1.0 wingspan of the trailing aircraft. The longitudinal separation between the leading and trailing aircraft is controlled by the flight control system based on operational objectives of the aircraft system.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for assisted takeoff of an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may takeoff using a first control scheme and switch to a second control scheme for normal flight when a takeoff threshold is met. The first control scheme optionally does not use integral control while the second control scheme may use integral control. The aerial vehicle may determine that a takeoff threshold is met, based on an output to a motor of the aerial vehicle and / or an acceleration of the aerial vehicle.

The invention discloses an underwater unmanned remote-control heavy-load work vehicle which comprises a frame (15), a first walking caterpillar band (101), a second walking caterpillar band (102), an electronic cabin (10), a hydraulic valve cabin (4), a hydraulic pump station cabin (6), a right swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band (141) and a right swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band (142). Two ends of a left swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band driving oil cylinder (111) and a right swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band driving oil cylinder (112) are respectively hinged on the frame (15) and a left swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band support frame (182) of the left swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band (142) and a right swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band support frame (183) of the right swing arm auxiliary caterpillar band (141) on corresponding sides. The hydraulic oil cylinders are used to drive the triangular auxiliary caterpillar bands to swing, moving ranges are big, underwater work is easy to carry out, a structure is simple, weight is light, installation and maintenance are easy and convenient, and cost is saved. The oil cylinders are easy to lock, good in rigidity, and capable of carrying out underwater heavy-load work. By adopting a hydraulic oil cylinder swing arm driving system, the trafficability and the obstacle climbing ability of the underwater unmanned remote-control heavy-load work vehicle under complex environments are greatly improved, and the adaptability of the underwater unmanned remote-control heavy-load work vehicle in the seabed underwater complex environments is greatly enhanced.

A chain link of a transport chain of a conveyor for conveying an article hanging from a holding adapter includes a base body having lateral contact surfaces configured to enable friction rollers to be pressed there against for driving the transport chain. Arranged on the base body at ends in spaced-apart relationship in a conveying direction are coupling sections for swingable connection with a neighboring chain link. Bearings are formed on an upper side of the base body for support of running or guide rollers. A thrust member is connected vertically elastically to an underside of the base body and has an underside provided with at least one recess for formfittingly receiving a coupler of a head piece of the holding adapter for holding the article to be conveyed.

The invention relates to the technical field of a solar cell, and particularly relates to a natural dyestuff sensitizer on a plateau for a dye-sensitized solar cell. An ingredient of the sensitizer disclosed by the invention is plant anthocyanin which contains a plurality of -OHs in a molecular structure and can be adsorbed on a TiO2 film in a chemical adsorption manner. By adopting the natural dyestuff sensitizer, the geographic features of high elevation of the Tibet plateau and long ultraviolet ray irradiation time are fully utilized; a Tibet plateau plant containing the anthocyanin is selected; the natural dyestuff sensitizer on the plateau for the dye-sensitized solar cell is extracted from the Tibet plateau plant. The natural dyestuff sensitizer on the plateau has the advantages of being simple in extraction process, friendly to the environment, low in cost and the like, and has a better market development prospect; meanwhile, a revenue channel is also provided for local farmers. Therefore, the natural dyestuff sensitizer has good economic benefits.