Patent ID: 9550558
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: B64B,G05D

Claim:
1. A method for adjusting a variable-buoyancy vehicle state comprising: determining at least one in-flight movement constraint for a variable-buoyancy fixed-volume vehicle, wherein the constraint is based on at least one of a mass of the vehicle, an altitude of the vehicle, a velocity of the vehicle, or an energy usage of the vehicle; performing a state-change optimization to determine a fill-rate control plan based on the at least one constraint to move the variable-buoyancy vehicle from a current variable-buoyancy vehicle state to a target variable-buoyancy vehicle state, wherein the fill-rate control plan comprises at least one fill rate for a bladder of the variable-buoyancy vehicle; and communicating the fill-rate control plan to the variable-buoyancy vehicle.