Aerial vehicle launching system and method

A method for launching an aerial vehicle comprising:

• providing a launch platform having a glide drawer with a first section and a second section, the first section extendably attached to the second section;
• providing a restraint system coupled to the launch platform, wherein the restraint system passively restrains the aerial vehicle using a passive restraint for each main gear and a nose gear, and wherein the restraint system is configured to coordinate substantially uniform retention and retention and release of the passive restraints in order to launch the aerial vehicle;
• bringing the aerial vehicle to a launch velocity;
• and
• releasing the aerial vehicle from the restraint system by retraction of the first and second sections,
• wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprise elements to allow the main gear and the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,
• wherein the passive restraint for the nose gear further comprises a tensioned nose gear lever coupled to the second section to apply a downward force to restrain upward motion of the nose gear, and
• wherein retraction of the first and second sections retracts the tensioned nose gear lever and removes the passive restraints.

An aerial vehicle launching system comprising:

• a propulsion vehicle;
• a launch platform coupled to the propulsion vehicle having a glide drawer with a first section and a second section, the first section extendably attached to the second section;
• and
• a restraint system coupled to the launch platform, wherein the restraint system comprises a passive restraint for each main gear and a nose gear to indirectly restrain an aerial vehicle and configured to coordinate substantially uniform retention and release of the passive restraints in order to launch the aerial vehicle,
• wherein engagement and disengagement of the passive restraints is at least partly affected by disposition of the first section in relation to the second section,
• wherein the passive restraint for each main gear and the nose gear comprise elements to allow the main gear and the nose gear to float within a volume but not escape restraint,
• wherein the passive restraint for the nose gear further comprises a tensioned nose gear lever coupled to the second section to apply a downward force to restrain upward motion of the nose gear, and
• wherein retraction of the first and second sections retracts the tensioned nose gear lever and removes the passive restraints.