A method for an operation of a forestry winch, which has a rope drum driven by a drive motor and on which a rope is wound up, and has a rope ejector roller for the rope driven by an additional drive motor, whereby the rope is guided from the rope drum to the rope ejector roller and is deflected on the rope ejector roller. The drive motor of the rope drum and the additional drive motor of the rope ejector roller are operated so that when the rope is unspooled from the rope drum, and when the rope is wound up onto the rope drum, a minimum rope pre-tension, in particular a constant minimum rope pre-tension, is generated in the segment of the rope between the rope drum and the rope ejector roller.

There is described a hoisting system and method of lifting that make use of a particular fibre rope. The fibre rope includes a plurality of magnets that are embedded within the fibre rope and spaced apart along the rope with a known axial distance between the magnets. The system may include a fibre rope hoisting speed sensor, and a magnetic field sensor that can sense the presence of the magnetic field of the embedded magnets. Using the sensors, the hoisting speed of the rope may be determined by: measuring the time between the passing of consecutive magnets by using the magnetic field sensor; calculating the distance between consecutive magnets using the hoisting speed sensor and the measured time between the passing of the consecutive magnets; and comparing the calculated distance between the magnets with an original, predefined distance between the magnets.

An unmanned aerial vehicle system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle, a user input device, and ground station. The user input device is configured to generate a signal and control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the generated signal. The ground station is coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a tether assembly. The ground station includes a motorized spool and a controller. The motorized spool is coupled to the tether assembly and configured to electromechanically control spooling and unspooling of a tether of the tether assembly. The controller is configured to control operation of the motorized spool based on an anticipated movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

A line tensioner is disclosed. A winch has a winch drum with at least one groove over which a line is passed. The winch has a line tensioner assembly with a stationary cam surface and a plurality of line tensioners rotating with the winch drum. Each has a line gripping portion and a cam follower. The line gripping portion is brought into and out of contact with the line as the cam follower rides along at least a portion of the cam surface.

In one embodiment the disclosure provides a portable and mountable apparatus and method capable of powering and deploying an illuminable tether to an unmanned robotic device (flying drone, ROV, terrestrial robot, to be referred to as a “URD”) that not only can provide power and command control to the robotic device, but also receive telemetry back from said robotic device's sensor(s) and data gathering instrumentation transferable to an operator's interface.

A fender davit device is disclosed. The fender davit device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a fender and a davit comprising a hauling line holding the fender and a winch configured to move the fender by winding or unwinding the hauling line. The fender davit device also includes a hauling line tension maintaining part configured to maintain a tension of the hauling line holding the fender to prevent the hauling line from breaking.

A fender davit device is disclosed. The fender davit device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a fender and a davit comprising a hauling line holding the fender and a winch configured to move the fender by winding or unwinding the hauling line. The fender davit device also includes a hauling line tension maintaining part configured to maintain a tension of the hauling line holding the fender to prevent the hauling line from breaking.

A wire rope hoist limiter device, includes a fastener arranged to be fastened around the wire rope of the wire rope hoist; a sliding weight arranged to slide along the wire rope of the wire rope hoist towards the fastener; and a detector arranged to be fastened to the wire rope of the wire rope hoist by means of the fastener. The detector is arranged to detect the sliding weight at a certain distance from the fastener and to give a stop signal for the wire rope hoist in response.

A load-bearing apparatus (100) comprises a winch apparatus (110), and a load-bearing spoolable medium (120) for connecting to a load, the load-bearing spoolable medium comprising a plurality of load-bearing elements (121-123); wherein at least a portion of the load-bearing spoolable medium is spooled about the winch apparatus. The provision of multiple load-bearing elements may help reduce the diameter appropriate for the winch apparatus, while maintaining the necessary load bearing capacity for supporting, paying in and/or paying out the load. The load-bearing apparatus may comprise a tension control apparatus (151-153) for controlling, applying and/or adjusting the tension of the load-bearing spoolable medium.

A load-bearing apparatus (100) comprises a winch apparatus (110), and a load-bearing spoolable medium (120) for connecting to a load, the load-bearing spoolable medium comprising a plurality of load-bearing elements (121-123); wherein at least a portion of the load-bearing spoolable medium is spooled about the winch apparatus. The provision of multiple load-bearing elements may help reduce the diameter appropriate for the winch apparatus, while maintaining the necessary load bearing capacity for supporting, paying in and/or paying out the load. The load-bearing apparatus may comprise a tension control apparatus (151-153) for controlling, applying and/or adjusting the tension of the load-bearing spoolable medium.