Patent ID: 7066430

Claim:
An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising: a support structure having a first portion and a second portion, at least one of the first and second portions being axially extendable relative to the other between a first position and a second position; a flexible recovery line carried by the second portion of the support structure, wherein the recovery line is spaced apart from a point on the first portion of the support structure by a first distance when the at least one of the first and second portions is in the first position, and wherein the recovery line is spaced apart from the point on the first portion of the support structure by a second distance greater than the first distance when the at least one of the first and second portions is in the second position; and an axially extendable resilient member coupled to the recovery line, the resilient member being positioned to extend when tension is applied to the recovery line and retract when the tension is reduced.