Helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft
First Claim
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1. A helicopter-mediated method for retrieving an aircraft from wing-borne flight, said method comprising:
- flying a helicopter above an anchor assembly such that a first portion of a tether connected to both the helicopter and the anchor assembly extends between the helicopter and the anchor assembly;
station-keeping the helicopter generally above the anchor assembly;
measuring tension in the first portion of the tether and, when the measured tension in the first portion of the tether is not substantially equal to a designated tension, moving the helicopter relative to the anchor assembly until the measured tension in the first portion of the tether is substantially equal to the designated tension; and
contacting and capturing a part of the first portion of the tether extending between the tether and the anchor assembly with the aircraft, thereby causing the anchor assembly to pay out a second portion of the tether and impose a resistive force opposing movement of the aircraft.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight from a small space without the use of a long runway.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A helicopter-mediated method for retrieving an aircraft from wing-borne flight, said method comprising:
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flying a helicopter above an anchor assembly such that a first portion of a tether connected to both the helicopter and the anchor assembly extends between the helicopter and the anchor assembly; station-keeping the helicopter generally above the anchor assembly; measuring tension in the first portion of the tether and, when the measured tension in the first portion of the tether is not substantially equal to a designated tension, moving the helicopter relative to the anchor assembly until the measured tension in the first portion of the tether is substantially equal to the designated tension; and contacting and capturing a part of the first portion of the tether extending between the tether and the anchor assembly with the aircraft, thereby causing the anchor assembly to pay out a second portion of the tether and impose a resistive force opposing movement of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A helicopter-mediated system for retrieving an aircraft, said system comprising:
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a helicopter including a first connector; a tether connected to the helicopter via the first connector; an anchor assembly connected to the tether such that a first portion of the tether extends between the helicopter and the anchor assembly, a helicopter control system, and a tension sensor configured to measure and to transmit, to the helicopter control system, a tension in the first portion of the tether extending between the helicopter and the anchor assembly, wherein the anchor assembly is configured such that, when the tether is connected to the anchor assembly, imposition of an extending force on the tether in a direction away from the anchor assembly causes the anchor assembly to pay out a second portion of the tether and impose a resistive force opposing the extending force. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification