Steerable parachute control system and method

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 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.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates generally to unmanned parachutes for cargo drops. More particularly, it relates to a control system and method for targeted landing of cargo using controllable parachutes.

[0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art

[0004] Parachutes have evolved over the years into highly sophisticated systems, and often include features that improve the safety, maneuverability, and overall reliability of the parachutes. Initially, parachutes included a round canopy. A skydiver was connected to the canopy via a harness / container to suspension lines disposed around the periphery of the canopy. Such parachutes severely lacked control. The user was driven about by winds without any mechanism for altering direction. Furthermore, such parachutes had a single descent rate based upon the size of the canopy and the weight of the parachutist.

[0005] In the mid-1960's the parasol canopy was invented. Since then, variations of t...

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