The platform is designed to support a total flight mass of 160kg [352 lb], accounting for the payload, structural frame, and a safety factor.
- Design Payload: 120kg [265 lb] (Person + Vest + Gear).
- Structural Mass: 40kg [88 lb] (Frame, Heaters, Turbines, Electronics).
- Target Lift: 1,600 N [360 lbf].
- Buoyancy Strategy:
- Primary: Three high-volume Helium/Hydrogen hybrid balloons in an equilateral triangular configuration.
- V2 Architecture: Each balloon is rigged with a structural rope-wrap (netting) connected to a common equatorial triangle frame.
- Active Control: Integrated Nichrome heaters for fine-tuned buoyancy adjustment (buoyancy gain: ~0.3% per 1°C rise).
- Balloon Volume: Scaled to provide 110% of total mass lift at sea level, allowing for active descent control via temperature reduction.
To ensure the safety of the passenger, the tri-balloon array is optimized for dynamic stability using a unified equatorial frame.
- Structural Ring: A triangular 6061-T6 Aluminum or carbon fiber frame encircles the balloons at their midsection (equator).
- Equilateral Geometry: 120° separation with a 3.5m [11.5 ft] radius to provide a wide stability base.
- Center-of-Gravity (CoG): The passenger "Vest" interface is suspended from the triangle vertices, ensuring a low CoG ("keel effect").
- Integrated Sails: Passive steering panels (sails) are mounted on the triangle body to leverage ambient wind for lateral navigation.
- Vertex Fans: Multi-directional BLDC fans at each vertex provide active yaw and positioning control.
The harvesting system is scaled down to focus on self-sustaining buoyancy maintenance.
- Micro Archimedes Turbines: Twin turbines (0.4m diameter x 0.8m length) mounted on the horizontal frame.
- Axial Flux PCB Generators: Optimized for low-RPM torque harvesting, providing power for:
- ESP32-S3 control logic.
- Sensor suite.
- Auxiliary buoyancy heating (post-bootstrap).
- Power Buffer: 10Ah LiFePO4 battery bank + 500F Supercapacitor bank for peak sensor/radio loads.
The passenger interface is a load-rated harness/vest integrated into the platform's structural frame.
- Attachment Points: Four-point suspension to the 6061-T6 Aluminum frame to distribute load and prevent tipping.
- Quick-Release: A mechanical emergency release for the passenger (for ground-level or low-altitude emergencies).
- Integrated Controls: The vest includes a tethered control unit with:
- Altitude toggle (Up/Down/Hold).
- Emergency "Dump" trigger.
- Status display (Altimeter, SoC, Buoyancy).
- Altitude Limit: 50m [164 ft] for initial testing; 150m [492 ft] max deployment.
- Wind Tolerance: Stable operation in sustained winds up to 10 m/s [22 mph].
To enhance stability in heavy wind conditions, the vest incorporates an integrated winch system for active tether management.
- Mechanical Architecture: High-torque BLDC traction winch (cable-crawler) integrated into the vest chassis.
- Dynamic Stability: Real-time tether tension adjustment to damp pendulum oscillations and compensate for wind "blow-down."
- Emergency Release: Hardwired mechanical quick-release to decouple the passenger from the tether in <1 second.
The vest and primary structural fairings utilize a high-strength, low-weight composite construction.
- Core Material: High-density EPS or XPS foam board, CNC-cut or hand-shaped from a template.
- Reinforcement:
- Fiberglass (E-Glass): For impact resistance and radio-transparency (essential for the Vest MCU/LoRa link).
- Carbon Fiber: For high-stress mounting points and structural ribs.
- Resin System: Epoxy-based for superior bond strength and UV resistance.
- Hardware Integration: Stainless steel or 6061-T6 Aluminum mounting plates are embedded or "potted" into the composite layup to distribute loads from the winch and suspension points.
Last updated 2026-06-12.