Patent ID: 7264204

Claim:
A system for launch and recovery of an aerial vehicle by a surface vehicle comprising: a surface vehicle having a landing pad for an aerial vehicle, said surface vehicle being capable of generating a flowing stream of ambient air above it; a winch module on said surface vehicle, said winch module comprising a winch, a towline coupled to said winch, and a sensor capable of sensing tension in said towline, wherein said winch is configured to selectively reel out and reel in said towline; a lifting body assembly connected to said towline, said lifting body assembly having a pair of lifting bodies and a snagging wire, said lifting bodies being adapted to raise and lift said lifting body assembly, and said lifting bodies having fins configured to separate said lifting bodies in opposite lateral directions from each other and laterally extend said snagging wire between said lifting bodies when said lifting body assembly is exposed to said flowing stream; a motor driven aerial vehicle for flying through the air; and a grabber hook mechanism coupled to said aerial vehicle, said grabber hook mechanism comprising a pivoted boom supporting a hook to engage said snagging wire.