POWERED PARAFOIL CARGO DELIVERY DEVICE AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A method of lifting cargo from a surface, comprising:
- flying a powered parafoil cargo delivery device over the cargo;
snagging the cargo while flying over it; and
lifting the cargo off the surface to an elevated level above said surface while maintaining said flight.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A powered parafoil device is disclosed. The device includes a main body provided with at least one thrust generator for imparting the main body thrust in a determined direction. The device is also includes a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions, and a tilting mechanism for tilting the main body with respect to the parafoil, when airborne. The tilting mechanism is capable of tilting the main body between at least two states: in the first state the determined direction of the thrust is substantially parallel to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, and in the second state the determined direction of the thrust is tilted with respect to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, imparting the main body a thrust vector component in the vertical direction. A method for increasing lift of a powered parafoil device and methods for cargo delivery are also disclosed.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of lifting cargo from a surface, comprising:
-
flying a powered parafoil cargo delivery device over the cargo; snagging the cargo while flying over it; and lifting the cargo off the surface to an elevated level above said surface while maintaining said flight.
-
-
2. A powered parafoil device comprising:
-
a main body provided with at least one thrust generator for imparting the main body thrust in a determined direction; a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions; and a tilting mechanism which comprises a repositioning mechanism for repositioning the location of said attachment positions with respect to said main body, for tilting the main body with respect to the parafoil, when airborne between at least two states, wherein in a first state the determined direction of the thrust is substantially parallel to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, and wherein in a second state the flight is maintained in a generally constant elevation, but the determined direction of the thrust is tilted with respect to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, imparting the main body a thrust vector having a component in the vertical direction and a component in said direction of flight. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for increasing lift of a powered parafoil device, the device including a main body provided with at least one thrust generator for imparting the main body thrust in a determined direction;
- a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions, where the main body is generally in a first state wherein the determined direction of the thrust is substantially parallel to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, the method comprising;
operating a tilting mechanism for tilting the main body with respect to the parafoil, when airborne, such as to tilt the main body to a second state wherein the flight is maintained in a generally constant elevation, but the determined direction of the thrust is tilted with respect to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, imparting the main body a thrust vector having a component in the vertical direction and a component in said direction of flight.
- a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions, where the main body is generally in a first state wherein the determined direction of the thrust is substantially parallel to the direction of flight of the device when airborne, the method comprising;
-
9. A method for cargo delivery comprising:
-
providing a powered parafoil cargo delivery device that includes a main body provided with at least one thrust generator for imparting the main body thrust in a determined direction;
a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions;
a tilting mechanism for tilting the main body with respect to the parafoil, when airborne; and
a cargo attachment for snagging a designated cargo while flying over it, suspending the cargo while flying and releasing the cargo at a designated drop zone;flying the device to a cargo pick-up point; tilting the main body using the tilting mechanism so that the direction of the thrust is tilted with respect to the direction of flight of the device, imparting the main body a thrust vector having a component in the vertical direction and a component in said direction of flight such that the flight is maintained in a generally constant elevation, and snagging the cargo using the cargo attachment while flying over it; flying the device with the cargo to a drop zone; and dropping the cargo at the drop zone by releasing the cargo from the cargo attachment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for cargo delivery comprising:
-
providing a powered parafoil cargo delivery device that includes a main body provided with at least one thrust generator for imparting the main body thrust in a determined direction;
a parafoil connected to the main body by cords attached to the main body at attachment positions;
a tilting mechanism for tilting the main body with respect to the parafoil, when airborne;flying the device with attached cargo to a drop zone; tilting the main body using the tilting mechanism so that the direction of the thrust is tilted with respect to the direction of flight of the device, imparting the main body a thrust vector having a component in the vertical direction and a component in said direction of flight such that the flight is maintained in a generally constant elevation but at a reduced airspeed; and dropping the cargo at the drop zone by releasing the attached cargo from the device.
-
Specification