Airship made of self-sealing material

Abstract

A solar-powered airship with a hull configured to contain a gas and at least one propulsion assembly with a propulsion device and electric motors configured to drive the propulsion device. The airship may also include a power supply system including solar panels operatively coupled to the electric motors and configured to supply power to the electric motors. The power supply system may also include batteries operatively coupled to the solar panels and configured to receive and store electrical energy supplied by the solar panels, the batteries being further operatively coupled to the electric motors and configured to supply power to the electric motors. The batteries may each be located within an outer envelope of the airship defined by the hull of the airship in a position selected to provide ballast. The solar-powered airship may also include a cargo system configured to contain passengers or freight.

1 . An airship comprising:
 a hull, formed of a self-sealing material, configured to contain a gas;   at least one propulsion assembly including a propulsion device;   a power supply system; and   a cargo system including at least one cargo compartment configured to contain at least one of passengers or freight, wherein the at least one cargo compartment is disposed substantially within the outer envelope of the airship,
 wherein the self-sealing material comprises a flexible, air-tight layer and a viscous substance adjacent to the air-tight layer, 
 wherein the hull comprises a plurality of bladders within so as to contain a lighter-than-air gas, and 
 wherein the plurality of bladders are disposed in at least one of a side-by-side, an end-to-end, a stacked one on top of another, or a one inside another configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bladders include at least one string bladder, the at least one string bladder having a length that is two or more times as long as a length of the hull, and is disposed within the hull such that the string bladder curves upon itself within the hull. 
     
     
         19 . The airship of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bladders are formed of the self-sealing material. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The airship of  claim 1 , further including:
 an empennage assembly operably coupled to a lower surface of the airship, the empennage assembly including:
 at least one horizontal stabilizing member having a first end and a second end, the at least one horizontal stabilizing member defining an anhedral configuration. 
   
     
     
         22 . The airship of  claim 21 , wherein the empennage assembly further includes:
 a vertical stabilizing member having a first end pivotally coupled to the airship and a second end oriented to remain below an upper surface of the airship,
 wherein the vertical stabilizing member is configured to pivot within a vertical plane; and 
 wherein the first end of the vertical stabilizing member and the first end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member are operably coupled to one another. 
   
     
     
         23 . The airship of  claim 21 , wherein the empennage assembly further includes:
 a vertical stabilizing member, a first end of the vertical stabilizing member and the first end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member being operably coupled to one another; and   the coupling between the vertical stabilizing member and the horizontal stabilizing member being independent of the hull.   
     
     
         24 . The airship of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizing member provides support for a landing gear assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The airship of  claim 24 , wherein the landing gear assembly is operably coupled to the second end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member. 
     
     
         26 . The airship of  claim 24 , wherein the landing gear assembly is retractable with respect to the horizontal stabilizing member. 
     
     
         27 .- 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The airship of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one propulsion assembly, wherein the at least one propulsion assembly includes:
 at least five propulsion assemblies, wherein:
 a first of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to a support structure associated with the airship and located at a fore position on a periphery associated with the airship; 
 a second of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to the support structure and located along the periphery at approximately 120 degrees with respect to the first propulsion assembly; 
 a third of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to the support structure and located along the periphery at approximately negative 120 degrees with respect to the first propulsion assembly; 
 a fourth propulsion assembly configured to direct a thrust along an axis substantially parallel to a roll axis of the airship and substantially co-located with the second of the at least five propulsion assemblies; and 
 a fifth propulsion assembly configured to direct a thrust along an axis substantially parallel to the roll axis of the airship and substantially co-located with the third of the at least five propulsion assemblies. 
   
     
     
         36 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method of providing a self-sealing airship, comprising:
 forming a hull with a self-sealing material, wherein the hull is configured to contain gas;   providing at least one propulsion assembly including a propulsion device;   providing a power supply system; and   providing a cargo system including at least one cargo compartment configured to contain at least one of passengers or freight, wherein the compartment is disposed substantially within the outer envelope of the airship defined by the hull of the airship
 wherein the self-sealing material comprises a flexible, air-tight layer and a viscous substance adjacent to the air-tight layer, 
 wherein the hull comprises a plurality of bladders within so as to contain a lighter-than-air gas, and 
 wherein the plurality of bladders are disposed in at least one of a side-by-side, an end-to-end, a stacked one on top of another, or a one inside another configuration. 
   
     
     
         41 .- 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of bladders include at least one string bladder, the at least one string bladder having a length that is two or more times as long as a length of the hull, and is disposed within the hull such that it curves upon itself within the hull. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the plurality of bladders are formed of the self-sealing material. 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 40 , further including:
 an empennage assembly operably coupled to a lower surface of the airship, the empennage assembly including:
 at least one horizontal stabilizing member having a first end and a second end, the at least one horizontal stabilizing member defining an anhedral configuration. 
   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , further including pivoting a vertical stabilizing member of the empennage assembly, within a vertical plane, about a first end of the vertical stabilizing member that is pivotally coupled to the at least one horizontal stabilizing member, such that a second end of the vertical stabilizing member remains below an upper surface of the airship. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the empennage assembly further includes a vertical stabilizing member, a first end of the vertical stabilizing member and the first end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member being operably coupled to one another, the coupling between the vertical stabilizing member and the horizontal stabilizing member being independent of the hull. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizing member provides support for a landing gear assembly. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the landing gear assembly is operably coupled to the second end of the at least one horizontal stabilizing member. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the landing gear assembly is retractable with respect to the horizontal stabilizing member. 
     
     
         66 .- 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising providing at least one propulsion assembly,
 wherein the at least one propulsion assembly includes:   at least five propulsion assemblies, wherein:
 a first of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to a support structure associated with the airship and located at a fore position on a periphery associated with the airship; 
 a second of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to the support structure and located along the periphery at approximately 120 degrees with respect to the first propulsion assembly; 
 a third of the at least five propulsion assemblies is operably coupled to the support structure and located along the periphery at approximately negative 120 degrees with respect to the first propulsion assembly; 
 a fourth propulsion assembly configured to direct a thrust along an axis substantially parallel to a roll axis of the airship and substantially co-located with the second of the at least five propulsion assemblies; and 
 a fifth propulsion assembly configured to direct a thrust along an axis substantially parallel to the roll axis and substantially co-located with the third of the at least five propulsion assemblies. 
   
     
     
         75 .- 78 . (canceled)