Capture devices for unmanned aerial vehicles, including track borne capture lines, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system includes at least one support having an upright portion and at least one boom portion, a carriage track carried by the at least one boom portion, and a carriage carried by, and movable along, the carriage track. The system can further include a capture line carried by and extending downwardly from the at least one boom portion, or the carriage, or both the at least one boom portion and the carriage.

An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched using equipment suitable for use on a small vessel, or a base with similarly limited space or irregular motion. For retrieval, the aircraft drops a weighted cable (2,3), and pulls it at low relative speed into a broad aperture (l_a,Ψ_a) of a base apparatus (5). Continued translation of the aircraft may pull the cable clear of the apparatus, in which case it can continue in free flight and return for another retrieval attempt. Alternatively, the cable will be dragged along guiding surfaces (4) of the apparatus into and through a slot (6) or similar channel, until its free end is captured. The aircraft, having thus become anchored to the base station, is then pulled down by the cable into a receptacle (9). Guiding surfaces of the receptacle adjust the position and orientation of a probe (8) on the aircraft, while directing the probe to mate with a docking fixture. Once mated to the fixture, the cable can be released and stored aboard the aircraft; the aircraft can be automatically shut down; and fueling or other servicing can be completed through appropriate connectors in the docking fixture. The aircraft can remain docked as needed, and when desired, be automatically started and tested in preparation for launch. It can then be released into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus accomplished with simple and economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage, and only moderate piloting accuracy.

An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched using equipment suitable for use on a small vessel, or a base with similarly limited space or irregular motion. For retrieval, the aircraft drops a weighted cable (2,3), and pulls it at low relative speed into a broad aperture (l_a,Ψ_a) of a base apparatus (5). Continued translation of the aircraft may pull the cable clear of the apparatus, in which case it can continue in free flight and return for another retrieval attempt. Alternatively, the cable will be dragged along guiding surfaces (4) of the apparatus into and through a slot (6) or similar channel, until its free end is captured. The aircraft, having thus become anchored to the base station, is then pulled down by the cable into a receptacle (9). Guiding surfaces of the receptacle adjust the position and orientation of a probe (8) on the aircraft, while directing the probe to mate with a docking fixture. Once mated to the fixture, the cable can be released and stored aboard the aircraft; the aircraft can be automatically shut down; and fueling or other servicing can be completed through appropriate connectors in the docking fixture. The aircraft can remain docked as needed, and when desired, be automatically started and tested in preparation for launch. It can then be released into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus accomplished with simple and economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage, and only moderate piloting accuracy.