Systems and methods to launch an aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system (100) comprises an electrically powered buoyant aircraft (110), a control system (130) to maneuver the aircraft and a tether (140) adapted to couple to the aircraft and to a ground-based power supply (180) to provide power to the aircraft while the aircraft is coupled to the tether, wherein the aircraft can disconnect autonomously from the tether in response to a command signal.
Autonomous aircraft
Autonomes Luftfahrzeug
Avion autonome
2020-08-26
Patent
Electronic Resource
English