A balloon is provided having a balloon envelope, one or more straws, where each of the one or more straws includes a first end connected to the balloon envelope and a second end within the balloon envelop, one or more mechanisms, where each mechanism is operable to close and open the first end of one of the straws, and a control system configured to cause at least one of the mechanisms to close the first end of the corresponding straw such that gas is retained in the balloon envelope and to cause at least one of the mechanisms to open the first end of the corresponding straw such that gas below the second end of the corresponding straw is released from the balloon envelope through the corresponding straw, causing the balloon to descend.
Controlled balloon descent using straws
2015-12-15
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B64B LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT , Luftfahrzeuge leichter als Luft |