I've just been looking at a report written in January 1940 covering trials of a Rota C40 carried out at RNAS Lea on Solent, the aim of which was to land and take-off from an area 25 ft square.
The interesting bit is that theses trials were conducted in the lee of hangars, replicating the effects of a ships superstructure and funnel smoke. The inference being that operations from a platform on a ship's stern rather than a carrier's deck were being considered.
An even earlier RAE report from October 1926 looked at the advantages and disadvantages of pilotless gyroplanes. - and to think there are some who think unmanned rotorcraft is a relatively modern idea.