In an aspect, in general, a spooling apparatus includes a filament feeding mechanism for deploying and retracting filament from the spooling apparatus to an aerial vehicle, an exit geometry sensor for sensing an exit geometry of the filament from the spooling apparatus, and a controller for controlling the feeding mechanism to feed and retract the filament based on the exit geometry.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus (100) for recovering an unmanned vehicle (20), comprising: a container (103) for storing at least one unmanned vehicle (20), the container (103) having an opening (105) for receiving an unmanned vehicle (20) an extendable tether (102), a first end of the tether (102) being coupled to the inside of the container (103), a second end of the tether being arranged to pass through the opening (105); and at least one light source (106) affixed to the second end of the tether (102). The present disclosure also provides an aircraft (10) having the apparatus (100), an unmanned vehicle (20) to be recovered and methods of recovering an unmanned vehicle.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus (100) for recovering an unmanned vehicle (20), comprising: a container (103) for storing at least one unmanned vehicle (20), the container (103) having an opening (105) for receiving an unmanned vehicle (20) an extendable tether (102), a first end of the tether (102) being coupled to the inside of the container (103), a second end of the tether being arranged to pass through the opening (105); and at least one light source (106) affixed to the second end of the tether (102). The present disclosure also provides an aircraft (10) having the apparatus (100), an unmanned vehicle (20) to be recovered and methods of recovering an unmanned vehicle.

A system for ascending and descending a balloon. The system includes a first car, a first winch, a first cable, a second car, a second winch, a second cable, a memory, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to perform a method, the method comprising ascending and descending the balloon by control movements of the first car, the first winch, the first cable, the second car, and the second winch.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides [Solution] Provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides [Solution] Provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides [Solution] Provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A high-place observation device for stably performing a fixed-point observation of a target object from a high place is provided. The high-place observation device provides [Solution] Provides a long pole which is formed to extend and contract freely and which stands on the installation surface, a rotorcraft for positioning the pole to a desirable height position by extending and contracting the pole by a floating force in a connected state, a winding mechanism which fixes and maintains the height position of the pole to the height position set by the rotorcraft, and a camera attached to the rotorcraft.

A constant tension tether management system for tethered aircraft includes a ground station for operatively coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The ground station includes a spool rotatably disposed within the ground station and adapted to support a tether thereon. A first pulley is rotatably mounted within the ground station along a tether travel path. A second pulley is rotatably disposed within the ground station and moves in translation along the tether travel path. The first pulley is disposed along the tether travel path between the spool and the second pulley.

A constant tension tether management system for tethered aircraft includes a ground station for operatively coupling to an unmanned aerial vehicle. The ground station includes a spool rotatably disposed within the ground station and adapted to support a tether thereon. A first pulley is rotatably mounted within the ground station along a tether travel path. A second pulley is rotatably disposed within the ground station and moves in translation along the tether travel path. The first pulley is disposed along the tether travel path between the spool and the second pulley.