A system for deploying and retrieving an unmanned aerial vehicle with a UAV carrier including a UAV bay, the system comprising: a UAV pad including a UAV pad base and a UAV pad coupler to couple the UAV to the UAV pad base; a mechanical arm including a first end configured to couple to the UAV carrier, and a second end configured to couple to the UAV pad; and a controller configured to determine a deployment position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the deployment position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, determine a retrieval position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the retrieval position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a retrieval flight path of the UAV, control the UAV pad, and control the mechanical arm to receive the UAV pad from the UAV bay in the UAV carrier so that the UAV pad is coupled to the second end of the mechanical arm, move the UAV pad to a standby position on the UAV carrier, orient the UAV pad to the deployment position for the deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, and orient the UAV pad to the retrieval position for the retrieval flight path of the UAV. a UAV pad including a UAV pad base and a UAV pad coupler to couple the UAV to the UAV pad base; a mechanical arm including a first end configured to couple to the UAV carrier, and a second end configured to couple to the UAV pad; and a controller configured to determine a deployment position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the deployment position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, determine a retrieval position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the retrieval position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a retrieval flight path of the UAV, control the UAV pad, and control the mechanical arm to receive the UAV pad from the UAV bay in the UAV carrier so that the UAV pad is coupled to the second end of the mechanical arm, move the UAV pad to a standby position on the UAV carrier, orient the UAV pad to the deployment position for the deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, and orient the UAV pad to the retrieval position for the retrieval flight path of the UAV. determine a deployment position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the deployment position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, determine a retrieval position for the UAV pad so that an orientation of the UAV pad in the retrieval position is based on an orientation of the UAV in a retrieval flight path of the UAV, control the UAV pad, and control the mechanical arm to receive the UAV pad from the UAV bay in the UAV carrier so that the UAV pad is coupled to the second end of the mechanical arm, move the UAV pad to a standby position on the UAV carrier, orient the UAV pad to the deployment position for the deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, and orient the UAV pad to the retrieval position for the retrieval flight path of the UAV. receive the UAV pad from the UAV bay in the UAV carrier so that the UAV pad is coupled to the second end of the mechanical arm, move the UAV pad to a standby position on the UAV carrier, orient the UAV pad to the deployment position for the deployment flight path of the UAV from the UAV carrier, and orient the UAV pad to the retrieval position for the retrieval flight path of the UAV.