Patent ID: 8167236

Claim:
A hybrid lift air vehicle for lifting and transporting a payload above a ground surface to a delivery location, the air vehicle comprising: a. envelope means for containing a lighter-than-air gas and having substantially fixed dimensions and a substantially spherical shape when inflated; b. an airframe, an upper surface of the airframe being adapted to receive and securely mount the envelope means thereon; c. a plurality of variable vertical thrusters mounted in engagement with the airframe; and d. at least two variable lateral thrusters, the variable lateral thrusters being mounted in engagement with the air vehicle; wherein, when the air vehicle is connected to the payload for transport, the lighter-than-air gas in the envelope means substantially supports and offsets the weight of the air vehicle, the plurality of variable vertical thrusters being engagable to generate lift and to raise and keep aloft the weight of the payload, and once aloft, the variable lateral thrusters being engagable to effect lateral movement of the air vehicle to the delivery location, whereupon, once the air vehicle is at the delivery location, the lift of the plurality of variable vertical thrusters may be reduced to lower the air vehicle until the payload again engages the ground surface for unloading of the payload from the air vehicle.