Abstract: Due to limitations in space and mass of payload, it is often difficult to install a buffer recovery system for payload recovery. Therefore, developing an efficient and universal buffer recovery system that does not rely on the space of the payload has important application value. A novel aerial payload recovery system is proposed in this paper, which is capable of retrieving various aerospace payloads in mid-air. The system consists of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) connected to a recovery net via constant-tension winches. The UAVs acquire the relative position of the payload through a positioning system and adjust the location based on real-time predicted trajectory. The system uses net to capture and decelerate the payload. Compared to traditional recovery methods, the proposed system offers advantages such as low overload, low cost, unrestricted recovery sites, and no occupation of the payload’s own space or mass. To validate the cushioning performance of the system, a finite element simulation model was developed for a four-UAV configuration, and recovery process simulations were conducted. The effects of payload impact point, trajectory inclination angle, and winch tension on the recovery process were analyzed. The simulation results indicate that the maximum deceleration overload during recovery is only about 0.6 g_n. When the payload has a horizontal velocity component or the impact point deviates from the net center, periodic lateral overload occurs. Furthermore, the relationship between the maximum deceleration overload and the winch tension is not monotonically correlated.