Patent ID: 7967238

Claim:
A system comprising: a heavier-than-air vehicle having a propulsion system and mission payload; a lighter-than-air vehicle; and a tether coupled between the heavier-than-air vehicle and the lighter-than-air vehicle, wherein the tether is attached to the heavier-than-air vehicle at a first coupling and is attached to the lighter-than-air vehicle at a second coupling, wherein wings of the heavier-than-air vehicle when attached to the lighter-than-air vehicle are substantially horizontal, wherein the heavier-than-air vehicle is suspended below the lighter-than-air vehicle with respect to a direction of gravity, wherein the first coupling, the second coupling, and the tether allow the heavier-than-air vehicle to fly in a different flight path relative to the lighter-than-air vehicle, wherein the tether is configured such that the lighter-than-air vehicle can support the heavier-than-air vehicle while the heavier-than-air vehicle flies in motion relative to the lighter-than-air vehicle, and wherein the heavier-than-air vehicle remains supported by the lighter-than-air vehicle and functions as a unit with the lighter-than-air vehicle while using the mission payload.