AUTONOMOUSLY OPERATED DIRIGIBLE
Propulsion of an unmanned vehicle may include determining and ordering a subset of altitude-differentiated wind vectors, the subset facilitating directional air flow from a starting geographic region to a destination geographic region, and configuring the vehicle and adjusting the altitude of the vehicle to the altitude corresponding to each of the subset of wind vectors as ordered based on a flight plan that includes at least one of a duration and distance for each of the ordered subset of the wind vectors.
1 . A method of propulsion of an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
detecting a plurality of altitude differentiated wind vectors;
determining and ordering a subset of the wind vectors that provide directional air flow from a first geographic region to a second geographic region;
configuring the unmanned vehicle for facilitating movement of the vehicle along a first vector of the plurality of wind vectors;
adjusting an altitude of the vehicle to correspond to an altitude of the first wind vector; and
repeating the configuring and adjusting for the subset of plurality of wind vectors based on a flight plan that includes at least one of a duration and distance for each of the ordered subset of the wind vectors.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a plurality of altitude differentiated wind vectors is based on a weather map.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan is based on a combination of weather maps, airspace occupancy information for at least a portion of the airspace along the flight plan, and weather conditions sensed proximal to the vehicle.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan includes at least one location for adjusting an altitude of the vehicle for each of the subset of wind vectors.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one location is a location of entry into the wind vector.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one location is a location of exit from the wind vector.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one location is based on air pressure.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting altitude includes adjusting a buoyancy of the vehicle.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting altitude includes adjusting a shape of a portion of the vehicle to induce at least one of differential air pressure lift or altitude reduction.
10 . The method of claim 1 , where the flight plan is based on at least two of air temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, barometric pressure, temporal wind patterns, cloud patterns, target destination arrival time.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan is based on at least two of terrain along the travel route, manmade structures, flight timing, aircraft traffic patterns, and classification of airspace at a plurality of altitudes.
12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the flight plan based on updates to information on which the flight plan is based, including conditions proximal to the vehicle that are sensed by vehicle-mounted sensors.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle mounted sensors that facilitate adjusting the flight plan include directional pilot tubes.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the directional pilot tubes are configured to produce a three-dimensional airspeed vector.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan is based on a measure of external forces acting on the vehicle.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the measure of external forces comprises dead reckoning information generated by data gathered with an Inertial Measurement Unit mounted to the vehicle.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the unmanned vehicle includes orienting the vehicle to receive the wind along a broad side of the vehicle.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the unmanned vehicle includes applying preconfigured drag and lift coefficients to a vehicle orientation algorithm that determines an external portion of the vehicle to receive the wind and adjusting the vehicle orientation so that the determined external portion receives the wind.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the unmanned vehicle includes controlling wind-induced rotation of at least one propulsion rotor with variable braking forces.
20 . A method of unmanned vehicle surveillance comprising:
determining altitude differentiated wind patterns proximal to a surveillance region;
ordering a portion of the wind patterns to facilitate navigation over the surveillance region;
configuring a propulsion system of an unmanned vehicle for facilitating movement of the vehicle along a first pattern of the portion of the wind patterns;
adjusting an altitude of the vehicle to correspond to an altitude of the first wind pattern in the portion of wind patterns; and
repeating the configuring and adjusting for the ordered set of wind patterns based on a surveillance plan that includes at least one of a duration and distance for each of the ordered portion of the wind patterns.
21 .- 49 . (canceled)