Maintenance systems and methods including tether and support apparatus

A method for maintaining a structure, said method comprising:

• coupling a tether to a maintenance apparatus, the maintenance apparatus including a maintenance drive system and a maintenance device, the tether including a first tether end operatively coupled to said maintenance apparatus, a second tether end located at a base station, and a tether body extending between the first tether end and the second tether end;
• positioning the maintenance apparatus in proximity to the structure;
• coupling a tether support device to the tether between said first tether end and said second tether end, the tether support device coupled to a support apparatus configured to at least one of tow, support, or direct the tether;
• propelling the maintenance apparatus along a first route using the maintenance drive system;
• positioning the support apparatus in proximity to the structure;
• propelling the support apparatus along a second route using a support drive system;
• and
• transmitting an instruction from a controller, communicatively coupled to an actuator of the tether support device, to the actuator to move the actuator and arrange the tether support device in one of a plurality of different positions relative to the support apparatus.

A support apparatus for interacting with a tether, said support apparatus comprising:

• a body comprising a housing having a first end and a second end and;
• a tether support device coupled to said body, said tether comprising a first tether end operatively coupled to a maintenance apparatus, a second tether end located at a base station, and a tether body extending between said first tether end and said second tether end, said tether support device comprising a housing defining a cavity sized and shaped to receive said tether body for said support apparatus to interact with said tether, said tether support device further comprising an actuator communicatively coupled to a controller, said controller configured to transmit an instruction to said actuator to move said actuator and arrange said tether support device in one of a plurality of different positions relative to said body, said support apparatus configured to at least one of tow, support, or direct the tether;
• and
• a support drive system coupled to said body and communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the maintenance apparatus is operably coupled to said tether, and wherein said support drive system is configured to move said body and said tether support device when said maintenance apparatus is in motion.