A tethered aerostat positioned at an elevated location in the atmosphere, the aerostat comprising sufficient lighter-than-air gas such that the aerostat is substantially buoyant in air, the tether comprising a first length of tether, connecting the aerostat to an anchor located at and resting on the surface of a first substantially ground level location, and wherein the anchor has a weight such that, in a first anchoring condition, the anchor remains in place on the surface of the first substantially ground level location, but also such that it can adopt a second relocating condition, wherein the anchor is also attached to a relocating aircraft, the anchor being lifted above the surface of the first substantially ground level location, and can thereby be relocated to a second substantially ground level location by the relocating aircraft; and a method of transporting at least one aerostat as described herein, from the first substantially ground level location to the second substantially ground level location, the method involving attaching a relocating aircraft to the anchor in its first anchoring condition, the relocating aircraft lifting the anchor from the surface of the first substantially ground level location, transporting the anchor, and thereby also the tethered aerostat, to a second substantially ground level location and depositing the anchor on the surface thereof, followed by disconnecting the relocating aircraft from the anchor.
Tethered aerostat
2023-07-26
Patent
Electronic Resource
English