Industry Patents

A system for electrostatically levitating an object with a body adapted for receiving a static charge. The system includes an array of at least three electrostatic generators, with each of the electrostatic generators including an exposed element that becomes statically charged during operation of the array. The system also includes a controller operating to generate control signals to the array to independently operate each of the electrostatic generators to provide the static charge at first, second, and third voltages. When positioned in a flight space above the array, the object is levitated above the array of the electrostatic generators by an electrostatic lifting force(s). Each of the electrostatic generators is a high voltage Van de Graaff generator. The first, second, and third voltages are in the range of 0 to 300,000 volts and are varied over time to direct the levitated object along a flight path by the controller.