Abstract: Methods and apparatus to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by kites are disclosed. An example apparatus to deploy a UAV includes a tether line to support the UAV, a tensioner operatively coupled to the tether line, and a kite operatively coupled to the tether line to support the tether line for deployment of the UAV.

Abstract: When combined with a metal point, this ten inch plastic pistol crossbow bolt is designed to extend past the barrel of a pistol crossbow so it can be used for small game hunting, pistol crossbow fishing, recreational shooting and competition shooting. The major fault of the standard bolt commonly used with a pistol crossbow is, they are less than seven inches in length and do not extend past the end of a pistol crossbow barrel. Therefore, their use is limited to target points and recreational shooting only. Other faults of the standard short bolts are their high travel speed. They are very difficult to be viewed in flight, causing most bolts to be lost after one use. Also, because of their irretrievability from any commonly used target, they cannot be found and scored in any type of shooting competition. This ten inch bolt is a solid one piece unit made of a strong but, light weight plastic compound. It has a NOCK to securely hold the bow string in place. Standard pistol crossbow bolts do not have a nock.

Abstract: When combined with a metal point, this ten inch plastic pistol crossbow bolt is designed to extend past the barrel of a pistol crossbow so it can be used for recreational shooting, competition shooting, small game hunting, pistol crossbow fishing and pistol crossbow scuba fishing. The main fault of the standard pistol crossbow bolt is they are less than seven inches in length and do not extend past the end of a pistol crossbow barrel. Therefore, their use is limited to target points and recreational shooting only. Other faults of the standard short pistol crossbow bolts are their high travel speed. They are very difficult to be viewed in flight, causing most bolts to be lost after one use. Also, their irretrievability from any commonly used target. Therefore, they cannot be found and scored in any type of shooting competition. This ten inch bolt is a solid one piece unit made of a strong but, light weight plastic compound. It has a NOCK to securely hold the bow string in place. Most bolts do not have a nock.

Abstract: When combined with a variety of shafts of various lengths, this unit will create pistol crossbow bolts, crossbow bolts and archery arrows of various sizes used for recreational shooting, competition shooting, small game hunting and archery fishing. These bolts or arrows can be use with pistol crossbows, crossbows and archery bows or any other device used to project said projectiles. This seven and one half inch fletch unit is a solid one piece unit made of a strong but, light weight plastic compound. It has a NOCK to hold the bow string in place. It has two FLAT WINGS and a stabilizing TAIL which creates an accurate and stable bolt or arrow flight. No other fletch unit has flat wings with a tail. These features allow the bolt or arrow to be easily viewed in flight. This also allows this bolt or arrow to be used for competition shooting because these projectiles can be easily located, scored and then retrieved from any type competition target.

Abstract: A track set is provided, the track set having: a toy vehicle; a toy airplane; a launcher for launching the toy airplane; a trigger mechanism coupled to the launcher, wherein the trigger mechanism is located in a portion of a track path of the track set; and wherein actuation of the trigger mechanism by the toy vehicle as it travels along the track path launches the toy airplane from the launcher towards an indicator mechanism configured to be contacted by the toy vehicle traveling along the track path and the toy airplane after it has been launched from the launcher.

Abstract: A canister system for a folding aircraft may include a canister housing and a launch mechanism powered by one or more compression springs. A hand-operated drive mechanism may rotate a plurality of threaded rods to drive the launch mechanism from a released position to a cocked position, in which mechanical energy is stored in the springs. A latch mechanism may capture the launch mechanism in the cocked position. The canister may include a housing for receiving and storing the aircraft when the launch mechanism is in the cocked position. A trigger mechanism may release the latch mechanism, permitting the energy stored in the compressed springs to drive the launch mechanism toward the released position and propel the aircraft from the housing at launch velocity.

Abstract: A submersible water toy for stunt based activities includes a main body portion constructed of a buoyant material. The main body portion defines an upper deck surface upon which the user can stand or otherwise be supported. The buoyancy of the main body portion is such that at least a portion of the user's weight is supported when used in a pool or other body of water.

Abstract: A multi-use recreational product fully assembled constitutes a toy that can be towed on water and on snow and in the air, and when airborne, the rider can detach the tow rope and use the product as a glider. The toy disassembled, separates a wing section from a fuselage or tail section. The wing section is independently usable as a wakeboard; longitudinally extending fins which provide stability in movement of the assembled product in water and air and easier lift-off into the latter, also aid in control of the wakeboard in water and on snow. The fuselage or tail section is independently usable as a surfboard or water ski, wakeboard, snowboard or kneeboard. As a surfboard, it would be inverted so that thin vertical fins on the wider tail end of its upper surface when used as the fuselage, would extend into the water. Control elements exist on the appropriate surfaces of the sections to enable rider steerage of the sections and/or assembled product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a launching device for a flying toy. The launching device facilitates the transition of the flying toy from a resting state to a flying state. The launching device may include elements for holding one or more parts of the flying toy in a retracted position while the flying toy is in a resting state and for releasing the parts when the flying toy launches into a flying state. According to the invention, the launching device includes a launch-assist mechanism that provides a force to facilitate the launch of the flying toy.

Abstract: A launcher has programmable keys that activate a programming device to communicate with a flying toy to set up any one of multiple different motions of the toy. This is affected when the flying object and the launcher are connected together. Different combinations of program keys include changing of speed and landing procedures. The flying toy includes a receiver that operates a motor, and the flying object is clipped on the launcher and ejected after a user triggers the release button on the launcher.

Abstract: A catapult for launching an aircraft is disclosed including a rail assembly having first and second ends. A support structure is provided for supporting the rail assembly above the ground at various upward angles. A container having an open end is releasably mounted on the first end of the rail assembly, the container for mounting the aircraft therein with a portion of the front end of the aircraft extending out of the open end. A device is provided for extracting the aircraft from the container and moving it from the first end to the second end of the rail assembly and release it when reaching the second end.

Abstract: The present invention provides an amusement device with a flying member launchable by a hand-held launcher. The launcher includes launching guide rod connected to a handle grip carrying a trigger mechanism with a catch hook. A coil spring is coaxially received on the guide rod. The flying member includes a generally tubular internal support frame, an exterior shell supported by said frame and a latch body connected to the shell for releasably connecting the flying member to the launcher. In use, the frame of the member and the guide rod are aligned coaxially, and the flying member is pushed onto the rod, compressing the spring, until the catch hook of the launcher releasably captures the latch body. When the trigger mechanism is actuated, the flying member is forced off the rod by the spring, taking flight. The connection of the latch body to the shell prevents the launching of the frame without the shell. The invention encompasses a method of making one embodiment of the flying member.

Abstract: A toy airplane and launcher assembly comprises a rubber band powered toy airplane having a propeller at its front end, a winding coupler disposed at its rear end, and a pair longitudinally aligned sleeves mounted to its belly. A rubber band extends between the propeller shaft and the winding coupler shaft. A pistol-shaped launcher includes a handle and with an elongated guide rod extending therefrom. The guide rod is sized to be received through the aligned sleeves of the airplane to mount the plane on the launcher and a latch releasable latches the plane in place when the guide rod is fully received through the sleeves. A coil spring extends about the guide rod and is progressively compressed as the plane is mounted on the launcher to catapult the plane from the launcher when the latch is released.

Abstract: A flying glider game has a lightweight glider, a launcher and a target attached to the launcher or hand-held. The glider includes a U-shaped planar wing with elongated outwardly projecting side stabilizers, rear ailerons, a rounded nose with an upwardly curved leading edge, and a rigid nosepiece connected thereto. The nosepiece is provided with a finger grip, a rubber band hook, a rectractable trigger pin, wing fasteners and adjustable weight fasteners.

Abstract: A toy airplane launcher apparatus includes a toy airplane having an electric or rubberband motor for rotating a prop which is rotatably mounted to the airplane. The launcher includes a guide rail which slidably carries a rear launcher section which is slidable into engagement with a front launcher section engaged to the front end of the guide rail. Two rubberbands are engaged between the front and rear launcher sections to hold them together and for biasing the rear launcher section toward the front launcher section when the two are separated from each other. The rear launcher section is engageable with the trigger and is either fixed to or detachably engaged with the airplane. When the trigger is moved, the rear launcher section moves quickly along the rail into engagement with the front launcher section. If the rear launcher section is fixed to the airplane, both front and rear launcher sections leave the rail and are launched along with the airplane.

Abstract: A toy car launcher includes a base which carries a combination of pulleys which cause a slide in an elongated track to be rapidly propelled down a track when a pair of handles are pulled. A car placed on the track is propelled by the slide down the track, gaining velocity until it exits the track and continues its travel. The track is hinged to ease transport and storage.

Abstract: The present invention is a missile-helicopter device which is capable of a projected, nose up ascent and a helicopter nose up descent. The device has an elongated missile body, fins, a latch release for the fins, bias mechanism for the fins and propulsion. The fins have relatively long lengths and short widths and are hingedly connected to the upper half of the missile body. The fins have a first position which is a substantially vertical position along their lengths parallel to the elongated missile body such that the fins protrude along their widths radially outwardly from the missile body at least at the lower half of the missile body so as to function as flight stabilizing fins during ascent. They also have a second position which is at approximately right angles or larger to the missile body such that the fins protrude radially outwardly along their lengths away from the upper half of the missile body so as to create a nose up helicopter type rotation during descent.