A heavier-than-air air vehicle, particularly a long endurance, solar powered, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) intended for “perpetual” flight within the stratosphere, is carried to its operational altitude suspended on a tether from a helium balloon. The tether is attached at or towards a tip of the...http://www.google.de/patents/US7530527?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7530527 - Method and device for launching aerial vehicles
