Patent ID: 8226043

Claim:
An autonomous stratosphere platform for carrying a payload and keeping the payload in a definite location in a stratosphere, the autonomous stratosphere platform comprising: a support chute; a control and drive component, coupled to the support chute, the control and drive component comprising at least one first control component for controlling the support chute via a first plurality of lines; a capsule suspended from, the support chute and the control and drive component via a first cable, the capsule containing the payload; a second control component positioned below the capsule and coupled thereto by a second cable; an anchor chute coupled to the second control component by a second plurality of lines; wherein the second control component varies a length of the second plurality of lines and a shape of the anchor chute such that an angular position of the anchor chute relative to the support chute is varied; wherein the support chute and the anchor chute utilize a plurality of wind vectors in differing altitudes within the stratosphere to produce lift to maintain the capsule at a substantially fixed altitude; and wherein the support chute and the anchor chute utilize the plurality of wind vectors in differing altitudes within the stratosphere to produce drift to maintain the capsule at the definite location within the stratosphere in a range of approximately 6 kilometers to approximately 18 kilometers above ground.