An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched using equipment suitable for use on a small vessel, or at a base with similarly limited space or irregular motion. For retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether, and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured by a hook or other end effector. The tether length is then adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with simple and economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage, and requires only moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.