The Docking clamp is a piece of technology on Destiny which holds the shuttles in place on the hull. These clamps are extended outward to allow the shuttle to freely fly away from the ship. (SGU: "Light")
When the civilian contingent on Destiny attempted a coup, Colonel Everett Young and Lt. Matthew Scott piloted a shuttle to the underside of Destiny to destroy an alien fighter attached to the hull. When they returned, the docking clamps were unable to lock and the shuttle would be destroyed if it was not attached to the ship. (SGU: "Divided")
The Destiny also has docking clamps on the underside of the hull that allow Destiny to dock with Seed ships. The same clamps also allow the Seed ships to transfer power to and from Destiny, to the extent that the seed ships can override commands from Destiny itself. (SGU: "Awakening", "Resurgence", "Deliverance")
