US Patent 9045218 Autonomous aircraft with disconnectable tether

Systems and methods to launch an aircraft are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises an electrically powered buoyant aircraft, a control system to maneuver the aircraft and a tether adapted to couple to the aircraft and to a ground-based power supply to provide power to the aircraft while the aircraft is coupled to the tether. The aircraft can disconnect autonomously from the tether in response to a command signal.