A lift assembly for use during inflation of a balloon envelope is provided. The lift assembly includes a plate structure that has a set of cavities. Each cavity includes one or more openings passing through the plate. One or more pistons are coupled to the plate through at least one of the openings of each cavity in the set of cavities. Each piston has a hollow tube portion projecting lengthwise from the at least one opening, a flange attached to the hollow tube portion and a grabber portion in communication with the flange. The grabber portion includes a plurality of bearings for grabbing a stud attached to an apex of the balloon envelope. A handle portion is coupled to the plate. The handle is arranged to lift the balloon envelope when the bearings have grabbed a given stud.

A lift assembly for use during inflation of a balloon envelope is provided. The lift assembly includes a plate structure that has a set of cavities. Each cavity includes one or more openings passing through the plate. One or more pistons are coupled to the plate through at least one of the openings of each cavity in the set of cavities. Each piston has a hollow tube portion projecting lengthwise from the at least one opening, a flange attached to the hollow tube portion and a grabber portion in communication with the flange. The grabber portion includes a plurality of bearings for grabbing a stud attached to an apex of the balloon envelope. A handle portion is coupled to the plate. The handle is arranged to lift the balloon envelope when the bearings have grabbed a given stud.

An intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system is disclosed including a ground station and one or more aerial vehicles. The aerial vehicles are autonomous systems capable of communicating intelligence data to the ground station and be used as part of a missile delivery package. A plurality of aerial vehicles can be configured to cast a wide net of reconnaissance over a large area on the ground including smaller overlapping reconnaissance areas provided by each of the plurality of the aerial vehicles.

The technology relates to techniques for drogue deployment for a lighter than air (LTA) vehicle descent. A drogue deployment system for an LTA vehicle descent can include a drogue comprising a drogue parachute coupled to a carrier. A spring can be configured to launch the drogue from a launch tube directed outward from an apex of the LTA vehicle in an acute angle from a horizontal plane. A core can be placed around the launch tube and placed around the spring, the core compressing the spring and holding the spring in a compressed state prior to deployment, and a riser can couple the carrier to the envelope of the LTA vehicle. In some cases, the drogue deployment system can comprise two or more drogues, wherein intervals between the two or more drogues can be selected such that horizontal components of drogue deployment forces approximately cancel out.

Balloon launching systems and methods relating thereto are described. A method of launching a balloon includes securing a balloon to an everting platform and disposing the platform within a launch chamber having an inflatable tubular membrane. The everting platform couples to the inflatable tubular membrane such that the balloon is positioned inside a launch cavity while a pressurization cavity is defined adjacent thereto. Lifting gas is dispensed into and sealed within the balloon. The pressurization cavity is pressurized to an everting pressure causing the inflatable tubular membrane to evert and extend above a balloon launching end of the launch chamber. The everting membrane accelerates the inflated balloon toward the launching end and surrounds and shields the balloon from cross-winds and ground obstacles. The balloon is released after membrane extension.