Lightweight air vehicle and pneumatic launcher

A portable unmanned air vehicle and launcher system comprising:

• a foldable unmanned air vehicle having a pressure tube, the pressure tube being open at a rear end and closed at a front end;
• a launch gas reservoir for holding launch gas;
• a launch tube operatively connected to the launch gas reservoir and having a free end that is positioned in the pressure tube of the air vehicle;
• a free piston positioned within the launch tube;
• and
• a free piston stop to prevent the free piston from leaving the launch tube,
• wherein a first portion of the launch gas in the launch gas reservoir is released into the launch tube and forces the free piston from an initial position to an end position at which the free piston is stopped by the free piston stop, and
• the movement of the free piston from the initial position toward the end position in the launch tube occurs as the air vehicle launches.

A foldable unmanned air vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage having a pressure tube portion for receiving a launch tube of a pneumatic launcher;
• two wings, each wing being pivotably connected to the fuselage such that it pivots about a pivot point;
• a wing retention mechanism that holds the wings in a folded position;
• a foldable tail connected to the fuselage;
• a tail retention mechanism that holds the tail in a folded position;
• and
• a linkage that links the wing retention mechanism to the tail retention mechanism such that release of one of the tail retention mechanism and the wing retention mechanism releases the other of the tail retention mechanism and the wing retention mechanism.