Title:
STEERABLE PARACHUTE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003053777
Kind Code:
A9
Abstract:
An autonomous guided parachute system for cargo drops that divides the requirements of guidance and soft landing into separate parachutes. Said invention includes a high wing-loaded ram air parachute for guidance, a larger round parachute for soft landing, a harness/container system, flight computer, position sensors and actuation system. The system is dropped from an airplane, a predetermined period of drogue fall ensures a stable position prior to deploying the guidance parachute. The flight controller determines a heading to intersect with an area substantially above the desired target and controls the guidance parachute via pneumatic actuators connected to the parachutes steering lines to fly on that heading. At a minimum altitude prior to the systems impact with the ground the flight computer transitions the system from the fast high performance guidance parachute to a larger landing parachute by releasing the guidance parachute to static line extract and deploy the landing parachute. If the system reaches a position substantially above target area prior to the parachute transition altitude flight computer controls the system into a spiral dive or other rapid altitude dropping maneuver until the transition altitude is reached. Once transitioned to the landing parachute the system descends for a brief period unguided under the landing parachute until touchdown.
Inventors:
PRESTON DANIEL
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/039121
Publication Date:
February 19, 2004
Filing Date:
December 09, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
ATAIR AEROSPACE INC (US)
International Classes:
B64D1/14; B64D17/02; B64D17/04; B64D17/08; B64D17/34; B64D17/38; B64D17/54; (IPC1-7): B64D17/34
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