Airship manufacturer Aeroscraft Corp (Aeros) – US patent award for cargo airship design

Airship manufacturer Aeroscraft Corp (Aeros) has been granted a US patent for an important sub-system in its Aeroscraft cargo airship programme.

The utility patent covers the multi-functional “aerostructure for rigid body airship” (Aeroshell) which defines the outer shape of the lighter-than-air vehicle, while serving structural and operational functions as an internal truss system.

The Aeroshell system provides the major external frame of the vehicle. The internal main frame serves as the main load supporting structure of the vehicle, and is structurally capable of handling bending movement.

Said the US-based company: “The Aeroshell is light, yet counteracts the loads imposed by cargo payloads, aerodynamic lift and pressure, static lift, and shear loading/movement.

“The rigid structure design does not rely on lifting gas pressure to maintain structural integrity; the Aeroshell maintains the aircraft hull’s shape under the stress imposed by aerodynamic loads, for increased airspeed relative to traditional lighter-than-air aircraft.”

Aeros added: “The lightweight rigid structural Aeroshell design provides aerodynamic stability while increasing the aerodynamic lift compared with the cigar shaped hulls of earlier zeppelins, increasing payload accommodation, airspeed and manoeuvrability, particularly in high wind conditions.”