Methods and apparatus to guide an unmanned aerial vehicle for recovery thereof are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a sensor at or proximate a tether line, the sensor to measure at least one parameter of an aircraft while the aircraft is in flight and provide sensor output corresponding to a position of the aircraft, and a transceiver to transmit data corresponding to the position to the aircraft for guiding the aircraft to engage the tether line for recovery of the aircraft or a payload carried by the aircraft.

Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. An example unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system includes a lift device, a parachute, and a capture line. The lift device includes a canister. The parachute is stowed in and deployable from the canister. The capture line is attached to the parachute and to a line control device. The capture line is configured to be engaged by a capture device located at an end of a wing of a UAV.

Locking line capture devices for unmanned aircraft, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a line capture body having a line slot with an open end and closed end, and a retainer positioned proximate the line slot and movable between first position in which the retainer blocks access to the line slot and a second position in which the retainer allows access to the line slot. A locking device is operably coupled between the capture body and the retainer and is movable between an unlocked position to allow movement of the retainer between the first and second positions, and a locked position to block such movement. A release device is operably coupled to the locking device and movable between a secured position with the locking device secured in the locked position, and a released position with the locking device movable between the locked and unlocked positions.

Methods and apparatus to stabilize and recover unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a capture line, a mast to support the capture line for contact with the UAV, and a braking stabilizer. The braking stabilizer includes a flexible stem, a body at a distal end of the stem, where the body defines first and second flexible posts, and a filament extending between the first and second posts to contact and engage a hook of the UAV.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

A method of capturing an aerial vehicle comprises rotating a first blade of the aerial vehicle, the first blade coupled to a hub of the aerial vehicle and having a contour configured to facilitate entanglement of a payload line of a winch system around the aerial vehicle. The method further comprises contacting, by a leading edge of the first blade, the payload line of the winch system and pulling the payload line towards the hub of the aerial vehicle, wherein the payload line is pulled towards the hub as the first blade continues to rotate and wherein continued rotation of the first blade causes the payload line to be tangled around the hub of the aerial vehicle.

A liner motor based on radical magnetic tubes includes: a dynamicer (mover, QDZ) and a stator (STA), the structure of the stator (STA) is: a stator magnetic tube (SCG) is nested into the inner wall of a pure iron tube (DTG), the stator magnetic tube (SCG) provides a radial magnetic field, a stator tube (DZGD) is formed within the stator magnetic tube (SCG), the dynamicer can travel in the stator tube; the dynamicer iron core is a tube of a radial magnetic field and installed on a tubular coil skeleton, on which winding the dynamicer coil to form the dynamicer main body; the sliders (HDZ) are installed on both ends of the dynamicer main body load.

Described herein is an elevated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) station. The elevated UAV station includes an elevated platform and a conveyance device configured to raise a payload to the elevated platform. The elevated unmanned UAV station may further include a launch device configured to cause a takeoff of a UAV from the elevated platform. The elevated UAV station may further include a recovery device configured to cause a controlled landing of the UAV at the elevated platform. The elevated UAV station may be associated with a payload housing structure to establish a system for payload storage and launch.

A rotorcraft-assisted launch and retrieval system, and a method for controlling an airborne rotorcraft which includes controlling by a controller a first feedback loop about a longitudinal roll axis of the airborne rotorcraft and controlling by the controller a second feedback loop about a horizontal pitch axis of the airborne rotorcraft, without controlling a vertical yaw axis of the airborne rotorcraft.

Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. An example unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system includes a lift device, a parachute, and a capture line. The lift device includes a canister. The parachute is stowed in and deployable from the canister. The capture line is attached to the parachute and to a line control device. The capture line is configured to be engaged by a capture device located at an end of a wing of a UAV.