What is HyALTA® - A hybrid lighter-than-air (LTA) and flying wing air vehicle that allows a single vehicle to provide the simplicity, vertical heavy lift, and extended efficient station keeping capabilities of an LTA with the high glide ratio (>40:1) and velocity (up to 200 kts.) of low coefficient of drag flying wings. This patented design (U.S. Patents 9,623,954/10,287,000/10.377,465/10,532,803 and other patents pending) is unlike other conventional or LTA aircraft.

How Does it Work – HyALTA® delivers these capabilities through an elegantly simple minimalist internal structure that morphs to provide extensive combinations of aspect ratio, chord thickness and top and bottom camber to achieve a wide range of aerodynamic and buoyant lift configurations. A gas impermeable inner bag provides the envelope for lifting gases while a sturdy elastic external envelope stretches to provide the aerodynamic surfaces in any configuration. Internal gas pressure, in conjunction with a simple internal frame, maintains the aerodynamic shape. Thrust comes from one or more ducted fan engines deep in the center composite center tube. Control authority is provided by the variable geometry control surfaces and a thrust vectoring nozzle at the rear of the center tube. The control surfaces actively reposition from horizontal (minimum drag) to inverted “V” (for mid-range speeds) to vertical (for LTA flight). This combination provides optimum control for an infinite range of flight configurations. This patented approach results in almost no “parasitic” structure (used in one configuration but not in another) in the design and results in a vehicle with optimal performance capabilities in all flight configurations.