The paper presents results of preliminary investigations into the development of a new class of airship. Specific focus is given to photo-electric harvesting as a primary energy source, power architectures and energy audits for life support, propulsion and ancillary loads to support the continuous daily operation of the primary airship (cruiser) at stratospheric altitudes (∼15km). This concept is substantially different to those of conventional aircraft due to the airship size and the inherent requirement to harvest and store sufficient energy during “daylight” operation to guarantee safe operation during “dark hours”. The study also considers the integration of photo voltaics with various electrical architectures, in a safety critical environment.
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