The invention provides an inexpensive means of transporting people and objects to altitudes of 10,000 meters or more. Flying System 1 has Balloon 11, Suspension Lines 12 hanging downwards from Balloon 11, and Cabin 13 attached to the lower ends of Suspension Lines 12. The main body of Cabin 13 consists of laminated walls that include a fiber-reinforced plastic layer that keeps Cabin 13 watertight and airtight and also serves to maintain the shape of Cabin 13, an ultra-violet-rays blocking layer that reduces the amount of ultra-violet-rays transmitted into Cabin 13, an insulation layer that reduces the amount of heat conducted from the inside to the outside of Cabin 13, and an adhesive layer that enters and seals a crack or hole in the fiber-reinforced plastic layer when the crack or hole appears. The side walls of the main body of Cabin 13 have two hatches located opposite each other.

The invention provides an inexpensive means of transporting people and objects to altitudes of 10,000 meters or more. Flying System 1 has Balloon 11, Suspension Lines 12 hanging downwards from Balloon 11, and Cabin 13 attached to the lower ends of Suspension Lines 12. The main body of Cabin 13 consists of laminated walls that include a fiber-reinforced plastic layer that keeps Cabin 13 watertight and airtight and also serves to maintain the shape of Cabin 13, an ultra-violet-rays blocking layer that reduces the amount of ultra-violet-rays transmitted into Cabin 13, an insulation layer that reduces the amount of heat conducted from the inside to the outside of Cabin 13, and an adhesive layer that enters and seals a crack or hole in the fiber-reinforced plastic layer when the crack or hole appears. The side walls of the main body of Cabin 13 have two hatches located opposite each other.

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.

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.

A suspension line assembly for a parachute assembly, comprising a plurality of suspension lines bound together at a confluence, a first riser extending between the confluence and a first attachment location disposed on a first strap, a second riser extending between the confluence and a second attachment location disposed on a second strap and a cradle disposed between the first riser and the second riser.

A suspension line assembly for a parachute assembly, comprising a plurality of suspension lines bound together at a confluence, a first riser extending between the confluence and a first attachment location disposed on a first strap, a second riser extending between the confluence and a second attachment location disposed on a second strap and a cradle disposed between the first riser and the second riser.

A parachute system includes a payload support configured to operably support a payload below a parachute and an azimuth control device mounted to the payload support and/or the payload. The azimuth control device is configured to operably impart a yaw rotation to the payload in order to adjust an azimuth of the payload. The azimuth control device may include a thrust producing fluid jet device, a thrust producing propeller device, and/or a manipulatable control surface, among others.

A parachute system includes a payload support configured to operably support a payload below a parachute and an azimuth control device mounted to the payload support and/or the payload. The azimuth control device is configured to operably impart a yaw rotation to the payload in order to adjust an azimuth of the payload. The azimuth control device may include a thrust producing fluid jet device, a thrust producing propeller device, and/or a manipulatable control surface, among others.

A parachute system includes a payload support configured to operably support a payload below a parachute and an azimuth control device mounted to the payload support and/or the payload. The azimuth control device is configured to operably impart a yaw rotation to the payload in order to adjust an azimuth of the payload. The azimuth control device may include a thrust producing fluid jet device, a thrust producing propeller device, and/or a manipulatable control surface, among others.

A parachute system includes a payload support configured to operably support a payload below a parachute and an azimuth control device mounted to the payload support and/or the payload. The azimuth control device is configured to operably impart a yaw rotation to the payload in order to adjust an azimuth of the payload. The azimuth control device may include a thrust producing fluid jet device, a thrust producing propeller device, and/or a manipulatable control surface, among others.