Aerial launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft, and associated systems and methods are described. A representative system includes a first, carrier aircraft having an airframe, a propulsion system carried by the airframe and positioned to support the carrier aircraft in hover, and a capture line carried by the carrier aircraft and deployable to hang from the carrier aircraft. The capture line is sized to releasably engage with a capture device of a second, carried aircraft. The system further includes a retrieval device positioned to support the carried aircraft for detachment from the capture line.

The modular autonomous air and road mobility (AARM) vehicle with Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) capability provides combined air and road mobility solution.

AARM is clean energy powered, modular vehicle, which can be undocked and redocked into road module and air module, providing uninterrupted autonomous mobility between air and road. In addition, the modular design enables: Easy navigation through highly populated areas without the need to accommodate fixed wing aircraft on urban roads. Reduced energy consumption and noise levels in urban roads by not having to carry the air propulsion system into urban areas.

The road and air modules dock with each other through a sensor guided docking and load carrying mechanism (SGDMS), allowing connectivity, command and control. The vehicle can be scaled appropriately to serve: personal mobility, shared car, air taxis, regional air transport, cargo and shipping, defense missions, medical evacuations and air ambulances.

A combination unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fixed wing UAV, a plurality of rotor UAVs, a first communication component and a plurality of second communication components. The first communication component is arranged on the fixed wing UAV, and the plurality of second communication components are correspondingly arranged on the plurality of rotor UAVs. The first communication component can communicate with the plurality of second communication components. When operating in long-distance and complex surrounding areas, it can fly to a designated position through the fixed wing UAV, and then release the plurality of rotor UAVs, which may carry out reconnaissance operations on one or more targets in one area at the same time, or operate on multiple targets in multiple areas, and transmit signal commands in real time through the first communication component and the second communication component.

A combination unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a fixed wing UAV, a plurality of rotor UAVs, a first communication component and a plurality of second communication components. The first communication component is arranged on the fixed wing UAV, and the plurality of second communication components are correspondingly arranged on the plurality of rotor UAVs. The first communication component can communicate with the plurality of second communication components. When operating in long-distance and complex surrounding areas, it can fly to a designated position through the fixed wing UAV, and then release the plurality of rotor UAVs, which may carry out reconnaissance operations on one or more targets in one area at the same time, or operate on multiple targets in multiple areas, and transmit signal commands in real time through the first communication component and the second communication component.

A method of inspection or maintenance of a curved ferromagnetic surface using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a releasable crawler is provided. The method includes: flying the UAV from an initial position to a pre-perching position in a vicinity of the ferromagnetic surface; autonomously perching the UAV on the ferromagnetic surface; maintaining magnetic attachment of the perched UAV to the ferromagnetic surface; releasing the crawler from the magnetically attached UAV onto the ferromagnetic surface; moving the crawler over the curved ferromagnetic surface while maintaining magnetic attachment of the released crawler to the ferromagnetic surface; inspecting or maintaining the ferromagnetic surface using the magnetically attached crawler; and re-docking the released crawler with the perched UAV.

Systems and methods are described for sequestering carbon stored in organic matter while minimizing the release of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and methane (CH.sub.4) into the atmosphere, with the carbon (C) being stored as char or coal through the coalification process. Organic matter will be moved to submarine hydrothermal vent fields where the extreme heat in the water will drastically accelerate the degradation of the material and destroy microbes that normally consume the organic material and release the carbon as CO.sub.2 or CH.sub.4. The oxygen level in the heated water around the vents is extremely low. The water surrounding these vents can reach temperatures of 400° C. (750° F.). Exemplary implementations may include constructing hydrothermal borehole vents to harness the energy continuously released from the Earth's core in the form of volcanic heat.

Systems and methods are described for sequestering carbon stored in organic matter while minimizing the release of carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and methane (CH.sub.4) into the atmosphere, with the carbon (C) being stored as char or coal through the coalification process. Organic matter will be moved to submarine hydrothermal vent fields where the extreme heat in the water will drastically accelerate the degradation of the material and destroy microbes that normally consume the organic material and release the carbon as CO.sub.2 or CH.sub.4. The oxygen level in the heated water around the vents is extremely low. The water surrounding these vents can reach temperatures of 400° C. (750° F.). Exemplary implementations may include constructing hydrothermal borehole vents to harness the energy continuously released from the Earth's core in the form of volcanic heat.

There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.

There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.

An aircraft has a supporting structure and a shell that can be filled with a gas and which is tensioned by the supporting structure. The supporting structure includes a plurality of rod or tube-shaped sections which define a circular, oval or polygonal main clamping plane for the shell.