US 11,772,815 B2
Methods and apparatus to recover unmanned aerial vehicles with kites
Benjamin T. Brown, Hood River, OR (US); Alice E. Fockele, Portland, OR (US); Jesse D. Kiewit, Bingen, WA (US); Jacob S. Allen, Hood River, OR (US); John R. Wong, Klickitat, WA (US); Kelly A. Comstock, Carson, WA (US); and Daniel L. Shaw, White Salmon, WA (US)
Assigned to INSITU, INC. (A SUBSIDIARY OF THE BOEING COMPANY), Bingen, WA (US)
Filed by Insitu, Inc., a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, Bingen, WA (US)
Filed on Jul. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/365,560.
Prior Publication US 2023/0002075 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 31/06 (2020.01); B64F 1/02 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01)
CPC B64F 1/0295 (2020.01) [B64C 31/06 (2013.01); B64C 39/022 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus to recover an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
a mast extending from a base;
a boom extending from the mast at a first end of the boom to a second end of the boom opposite the first end;
a tether line extending between the mast to the base and guided by the boom, a portion of the tether line extending between the second end of the boom and the base; and
a mount to operatively couple a kite to the tether line, the kite to support the tether line as the aircraft contacts the portion for recovery thereof.