1513results about "Parachutes" patented technology

An airborne drone delivery network and method of operating same that provides an effective system to deliver items to a set number of delivery locations using drones in which the drone flight path is minimized and wherein the drones may be easily retrieved and reused for delivery of additional items.

A VTOL vehicle comprising a fuselage having forward and aft propulsion units, each propulsion unit comprising a propeller located within an open-ended duct wall wherein a forward facing portion of the duct wall of at least the forward propulsion unit is comprised of at least one curved forward barrier mounted for horizontal sliding movement to open the forward facing portion to thereby permit air to flow into the forward facing portion when the VTOL vehicle is in forward flight.

The Multi-Rotor Safety Shield (MRSS) provides a complete and substantial encasement system which can be secured about a Drone, protecting a multitude of aircraft components from contact with any outside disturbance and which can protect the sensitive components from dust, water, wind, rain, snow, fingers, toes, appendages of any kind, and atmospheric changes as example, from disabling the Drone and can protect people, places or things from high velocity spinning exposed rotor/propellers. The MRSS provides rigid non-permeable platform for attaching or incorporating additional safety devices as found in the Drone industry (or other industries) resulting in a safety device that completely prevents the loss a Drone due to the catastrophic failure of any Drone system or combination of systems which would typically result in rapid decent, and/or uncontrolled flight. The MRSS makes Drones safe near humans and safe to use around public gatherings, stadium events, accident scenes, disaster search and rescue and disaster relief, and indoors for the security and communications markets among others expanding the availability of Drones to further assist humanity.

An apparatus for lowering an orbit of a space object includes an envelope, an inflation system for inflating the envelope, an inflation control system for controlling the inflation system, and attachment hardware for connecting the apparatus and the space object. Inflating the envelope increases an effective drag area of the envelope for increasing atmospheric drag on the envelope.

A vehicle including a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, two Ducted Fan lift-producing propellers carried by the fuselage on each side of the transverse axis, a pilot's compartment formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and substantially aligned with one side of the fuselage, a payload bay formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers and opposite the pilot's compartment, and two pusher fans located at the rear of the vehicle. Many variations are described enabling the vehicle to be used not only as a VTOL vehicle, but also as a multi-function utility vehicle for performing many diverse functions including hovercraft and ATV functions. Also described is an Unmanned version of the vehicle. Also described are unique features applicable in any single or multiple ducted fans and VTOL vehicles.

A safety and recovery system for an unmanned aerial vehicle including a parachute holder mountable to the aerial vehicle. A parachute is disposed in the parachute holder. An actuator is engaged with the parachute holder. A flight sensor is in communication with the actuator, the flight sensor programmed to detect one or more predetermined emergency flight conditions, and transmit an emergency signal when the flight sensor detects one of the predetermined emergency flight conditions. The actuator deploys the parachute from the parachute holder when the actuator receives the emergency signal from the flight sensor. Autonomous deployment of the parachute can help minimize damage to the aerial vehicle, equipment on the aerial vehicle, or objects or persons beneath the aerial vehicle, in the event of an emergency.

The present invention comprises apparatus and methods employing a gas produced from a tetrazine-based energetic material such as that known as “BTATz” containing 3;6-BtS(1H-1,2,3,4-Tetrazol-5-ylamino)1-,2,4,5-tetrazine 3;6-BtS(1H-1,2,3,4-Tetrazol-5-ylamino)1-,2,4,5-tetrazine or salts thereof. The tetrazinebased energetic material is ignited through the use of a percussion cap, a piezoelectric crystal or a battery-supplied electric spark or by encapsulating it in a container that is then exposed to a burning flame. The gas produced upon ignition is employed a propellant such as to inflate life rafts, life vests, emergency evacuation slides, tires, air bags and other inflatable devices. The gas produced upon ignition is alternatively employed to power an engine and many other applications such as a fire suppressant.

A system collaboratively and autonomously plans and controls a team of vehicles having subsystems within an environment. The system includes a mission management component, a communication component, a payload controller component, and an automatic target recognition component. The mission management component plans and executes a mission plan of the team and plans and executes tasks of the vehicles. The communication component plans communication and networking for the team. The communication component manages quality of service for the team. The communication component directs communication subsystems for the team and for the vehicles. The payload controller component directs and executes sensor subsystems for the team and for the vehicles. The automatic target recognition component processes and fuses information from the sensor subsystems and from the vehicles for use by the mission management component.

The invention discloses a small and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicle recycling and positioning device, which is applied in the recycling and positioning of the small and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles after the parachute landing. The device comprises a vehicle-carrying GPS receiver, a vehicle-carrying wireless mobile communication module, a recycling controller and a parachute landing recycling device which are arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ground GPS receiver, a ground wireless mobile communication module and a ground processing display module of a ground recycling and poisoning device, as well as a radio beacon on the unmanned aerial vehicle and a radio direction finding device of the ground recycling and positioning device. The small and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicle recycling and positioning device utilizes the vehicle-carrying wireless mobile communication module and the ground wireless mobile communication module and uses a civil wireless mobile communication network to expand the coverage of the transmission of the recycling and the positioning information; the radio direction finding positioning is adopted to solve the problem that the positioning is unable when the GPS receiver works abnormally after the parachute landing of the unmanned aerial vehicle; the small and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicle recycling and positioning device can reduce the recycling working amount of the unmanned aerial vehicle, accelerate the recycling speed and have a wide coverage and low cost of the device, which can not only be applied independently, but also be combined with the prior art for application.

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 system's 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 the 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.

A vehicle including a fuselage having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, two Ducted Fan lift-producing propellers carried by the fuselage on each side of the transverse axis, and a body formed in the fuselage between the lift-producing propellers. Many variations are described enabling deflection and affection of flow streams and reduction of drag and momentum drag which improve speed and forward flight of the vehicle. Also described are unique features applicable in any single or multiple ducted fans and VTOL vehicles.

A release fitting for releasably holding at least one line to at least one item, the release fitting having a first body part, a second body part, and a third body part, the first and second body parts pivotably secured to the third body part, a bolt with a first bolt portion connected to a first portion of the first body part and a second bolt portion connected to a first portion of the second body part, at least one pin suitable for attaching thereto the at least one line, the first body part having a recess for releasably receiving an end of the pin, the bolt initially holding apart the first portion of the first body part and the first portion of the second body part to thereby maintain a second pin end in the recess, the third body part connected to the at least one item, bolt cutter apparatus for selectively cutting the bolt to release the at least one line from the pin.

An aircraft may have a fuselage, a left wing extending from the fuselage, a right wing extending from the fuselage, a tail section extending from a rear portion of the fuselage, and a first engine and a second engine operably connected by a common driveshaft, wherein the first and second engines are configured for freewheeling such that if one of the first and second engines loses power the other of the first and second engines continues to power the aircraft.

The present invention provides safety apparatus for a multi-blade aircraft, comprising an expandable and collapsible parachute assembly having a plurality of inflatable tubes, a plurality of electrically triggered gas generators connected to a support surface of a multi-blade aircraft, and an on-board control unit for initiating triggering of said plurality of gas generators, wherein an outlet end of each of said plurality of gas generators is connected to, and in fluid communication with, a bottom end of one of said plurality of tubes, allowing said parachute assembly to be fully expanded upon generation of inflating gas by each of said plurality of gas generators.

A vehicle which can travel on land, in water, or through air has a body like that of an automobile with powered wheels for providing propulsion on land. The vehicle also has rotors for providing propulsion in air and wings for providing lift. Storage compartments conceal the rotors during land operation, and in this mode the wings are folded down against the body, over the compartments. The wings and the rotors can be deployed to convert the vehicle to flight mode.

The present invention relates to a parachute deploying apparatus, comprising: a) a manifold with which is releasably coupled a single vessel within which pressurized gas is generated; b) a gas generator which cooperates with said vessel; c) a plurality of hollow tubes which extend obliquely and upwardly from, and are in communication with, said manifold; and d) a plurality of projectiles, each of which formed with a rod that is receivable in a corresponding tube and to each of which is connected a cord that is also connected to a corresponding portion of an undeployed parachute, wherein the pressurized gas which is generated upon triggering of said gas generator is flowable through each of said tubes to propel said plurality of projectiles in different directions and to cause said parachute to become deployed.

The present invention is a space launch system and method to propel a payload bearing craft into earth orbit. The invention has two, or preferably, three stages. The upper stage has rocket engines capable of carrying a payload to orbit and provides the capability of releasably attaching to the lower, or preferably, middle stage. Similar to the lower stage, the middle stage is a reusable booster stage that employs all air breathing engines, is recoverable, and can be turned-around in a short time between missions.

To control and particularly steepen the landing glide path of an aircraft, a respective aerodynamic component mounted on each wingtip includes a fixed plane member and a pivotable control element pivotally connected to the fixed plane member. The pivot axis is perpendicular to the major plane of the wing. The pivotable control element can be selectively pivotally deflected about the pivot axis relative to the fixed plane member, so as to thereby increase the overall drag without influencing the overall lift of the aircraft. This achieves a fine adjustment that is superimposed on the basic landing configuration established by the setting of the flaps, spoilers, engine thrust, etc. By increasing the drag without influencing the lift, this steepens the landing glide path slope.

A method and apparatus for rapidly severing a decoy towline extending from an aircraft by a mechanical spring actuated cutting blade and a thermal fuse type of release mechanism eliminating a pyrotechnic actuation device. The cutting blade is biased toward cutting engagement with the towline by a preloaded coil compression spring retained in the loaded position by a length of a polymer cord. The polymer cord has a heater wire wrapped about a portion of the cord which is connected to a DC voltage supply. The heater wire melts the cords when electrically connected to the DC power supply which releases the restraint on the spring which then drives the cutting blade into severing engagement with the towline.

The invention consists in an inflatable ultralight parachute deployable before jumping, for jumping or releasing a load from any altitude, without experiencing unduly harm from the impact with the ground. It comprises at least one torus-shaped inflatable tube covered by a thin film substantially flat shroud whose buoyance lifts the parachute and when pulled down by the gravity of the attached body develops the braking force that decelerates its fall. The ultralight parachute is deployed either by the jumper if he has one, or by emergency helpers on the ground and subsequently lifted to the potential jumper. Optional accessories that enhance the braking force of the parachute and attenuate the impact of the attached body with the ground, include an aerodynamically shaped inversed skirt surrounding the torus-shaped tube, an electro-mechanical reel that upon activation shortest the distance between the jumper and the canopy and an air mattress that floats beneath the jumper's feet for reducing the impact of the fall when hitting the ground.