Steerable parachute control system and method
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Accused Products
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.
38 Citations
54 Claims
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1-27. -27. (canceled)
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28. A bomb delivery system comprising:
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a guidance parachute attached to the bomb; and
a flight controller attached to the guidance parachute for steering the guidance parachute to a predetermined target location. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A bomb delivery system comprising:
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a steering ram air guidance parachute, connectable to said bomb for a first period of time following launch adapted to quickly move said bomb after drop to a first altitude substantially overhead a target location; and
a flight controller responsive to said target location and to said first altitude, for steering said steering ram air guidance parachute to the first altitude that is a predetermined first distance substantially overhead said target location. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for air dropping a bomb secured to a parachute system comprising the steps of:
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launching said bomb from a delivery aircraft;
deploying a guidance parachute; and
controlling said guidance parachute to position said bomb to a first altitude substantially overhead of a target location. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification