Helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a helicopter-mediated system and method for launching and retrieving an aircraft capable of long-distance efficient cruising flight from a small space without the use of a long runway.
1. A method for retrieving an aircraft from wing-borne flight, the method comprising:
flying a copter above an anchor device such that a first portion of a flexible member attached to both the copter and the anchor device extends between the copter and the anchor device;
contacting and capturing part of the first portion of the flexible member with the aircraft, thereby imposing a first force on the flexible member that causes the anchor device to pay out a second portion of the flexible member; and
after the first force falls below a threshold force, retracting at least part of the second portion of the flexible member via the anchor device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anchor device is configured to impose a retracting force on the flexible member to cause the anchor device to retract the second portion of the flexible member.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold force substantially equals the retracting force.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising station-keeping the flying copter relative to the anchor device before the aircraft captures the part of the first portion of the flexible member.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, via a navigation device, a geographical location of the anchor device.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising sending, via the navigation device, the geographical location of the anchor device to a control system and controlling, via the control system and using the geographical location of the anchor device, the flying copter to station-keep relative to the anchor device.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the first portion of the flexible member to the copter near a center-of-lift of the copter.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the aircraft has captured the part of the first portion of the flexible member, descending the copter until the aircraft contacts a docking fixture.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising landing the copter after the aircraft contacts the docking fixture.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the anchor device is configured to impose a retracting force on the flexible member to cause the anchor device to retract the second portion of the flexible member.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the threshold force substantially equals the retracting force.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising station-keeping the flying copter relative to the anchor device before the aircraft captures the part of the first portion of the flexible member.