An example system for flying to a target location is provided, comprising a parent aerial vehicle and at least one child vehicle releasably coupled to the parent vehicle. The parent vehicle is configured to transport the at least one child aerial vehicle to a region containing a target location, uncouple from the at least one child aerial vehicle, and transmit information to the at least one child aerial vehicle relevant to operation of the child aerial vehicle. The child aerial vehicle comprises at least one sensor for surveillance at the target location.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of an aircraft retrieval system including winch-equipped retrieval assembly that is removably attachable to a rotorcraft to facilitate retrieval of a fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

The present disclosure provides a deployment mechanism for arms of a drone. This mechanism is particularly of relevance to a drone that is housed in a container and is configured to be launched therefrom, and therefore is required to have an efficient deployment mechanism for its arms to be deployed immediately after the launch. The deployment mechanism is biased to its deployed state and is retained in its non-deployed state by external forces, such as the normal forces that are applied by the walls of the container on the arms while the drone is housed within the container. After the launch from the container, the above-mentioned forces are no longer applied to the arms of the drone and the deployment mechanism, causing a transition of the arms from their non-deployed state to their deployed state, in which they are in a position suitable for flying, i.e. activation of the rotors mounted on the arms.

Disclosed is a sonobuoy that houses at least one unmanned vehicle that may be launched from the sonobuoy. The sonobuoy may include a canister, a parachute, an unmanned vehicle, and a launch mechanism. The parachute may be disposed within an interior cavity of the canister proximate to a first end of the canister. The unmanned vehicle may be disposed within the interior cavity of the canister proximate to a second end of the canister. The launch mechanism may be disposed within the interior cavity of the canister and operatively coupled to the unmanned vehicle. The launch mechanism may be configured to launch the unmanned vehicle from the canister. The sonobuoy may further include a launch deployment mechanism that may be configured to orient the canister with respect to a surface after the sonobuoy impacts the surface in order to facilitate the launch of the unmanned vehicle.

A UAV launch system including a launch rack mounted at altitude, and housing one or more UAVs, and a ground station. The ground station may activate the UAVs for a high-altitude launch. In a further aspect, the UAVs are configured for a stationary, high-altitude launch, without low altitude launch features. Launching a UAV from a high-altitude (greater than about 30 meters or 100 feet) fixed location like an Aerostat or tall building allows the designer to eliminate much of the functionality required for launching the UAV from low altitude as well as ignore the aerodynamics required to support launch (e.g. near-stall) flight conditions.

The invention relates to an airborne platform comprising a main body configured for flying over a region of interest and an electrical charging system fixed to the main body and located outside of the main body. The electrical charging system comprising at least one induction coil intended to remotely charge at least one battery of at least one apparatus.

A method and system for determining the rate of growth of a wildfire.

This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for lifting drones to a desired height before launching. In one exemplary embodiment, a drone elevator system includes a looped cable that is engaged to a pair of pulleys. A first pulley of the pair of pulleys is coupled to a lighter-than-air craft and the second pulley is attached to a motor. The lighter-than-air craft moves upwards so as to raise the first pulley skywards and place the looped cable at an angle with respect to the ground. The motor is then operated to rotate the second pulley for moving the looped cable. The cable includes a set of tethers each of which is used to tether a drone. Each tether includes an extension arm that prevents the tethered drone from making contact with the cable when being lifted. Each tethered drone can be launched after being lifted to a desired height.

An aircraft launching system and method include a first lifting sub-system including a first tether that removably couples to an aircraft, and a second lifting sub-system including a second tether that couples the first lifting sub-system to the second lifting sub-system.

A charging and recharging drone assembly system and apparatus are provided. The system has a unique charging pad having a plurality of cones which direct the legs of a charging drone into a specific location on the charging pad for charging/re-charging. A QR code may be located in the middle of a cover of a charging pad so that the charging drone may detect the charging pad from the air and may direct the charging drone to land on a specific spot on the landing pad for charging. The movable cover may cover the charging pad when the charging pad is not in use to protect the charging pad.