Precision parachute recovery system

• US 6,338,457 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Hilliard, Donald Patrick, Hilliard, Michael Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Eldred, J. Woodrow
• Application Number:
  US09/736,721
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 244/139, 244/138.R, 244/142, 244/152, 244/137.4, 244/137.3
• US Class Current: 244/139
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof

Abstract

A parachute recovery system which provides for the recovery of a payload such as a target drone without damage by allowing for a safe, non-destructive landing of the payload at a desired landing location. The parachute recovery system comprises a payload, a parachute or parasail and a guidance control electronics and servo system. The parachute, which is rectangular in shape, is connected by a plurality of control lines to the guidance control electronics and servo system, which is attached to the payload. The payload may be an air launch component such as a spacecraft, a target drone, unmanned air vehicle, camera film, or similar apparatus. The guidance control electronics and servo system is used to control glide path trajectory and provide for a safe non-destructive landing of the payload. Servo system adjust the length of each of the plurality of control lines attached to the parachute to provide a means for controlling the parachute so as to control the speed, direction and lift of the parachute recovery system.

Claims

1. A precision parachute recovery system comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular shaped parachute having a parachute body, said parachute body having a plurality of individual cells arranged side-by-side along the width of said parachute;

(b) a plurality of control lines having one end thereof connected to said parachute and an opposite end;

(c) a servo system having the opposite end of each of said control lines connected thereto, said servo system separately adjusting the length of each of said control lines to steer said parachute, said servo system including;

(i) an antenna for receiving position data in a radio frequency signal format;

(ii) a digital computer connected to said antenna to receive said position data;

(iii) a plurality of servo motors connected to said digital computer, each of said servo motors having a shaft and a capstan attached to the shaft of each of said servo motors, the capstan of each servo motor having the opposite end of only one of said control lines connected thereto;

(iv) said digital computer processing said position data to generate a plurality of positioning signals and to provide said positioning signals to said servo motors;

(v) said servo motors, responsive to said positioning signals, rotating said capstans to continuously adjust the length of each of said control lines steering said parachute on a flight path to a non-destructive landing of said parachute precision recovery system; and

(d) a payload removably coupled to said servo system to allow said payload to be removed from said servo system after the non-destructive landing of said precision parachute recovery system.

2. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of control lines comprises six control lines.

3. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said payload comprises a target drone.

4. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said comprises a container having therein a package which is delivered to a precise location when said parachute recovery system executes said non-destructive landing.

5. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said servo system further comprises a beacon having an antenna for transmitting radio frequency signals which provide location data for said parachute recovery system relating to a direction of flight of said parachute recovery system and a current position for said parachute recovery system.

6. The parachute recovery system of claim 5 wherein said servo system further comprises a battery connected to said beacon and said guidance control device.

7. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said guidance control device comprises a microprocessor.

8. The parachute recovery system of claim 1 wherein said position data comprises Global Positioning System data.

9. The parachute recovery system of claim 8 wherein said Global Positioning System data includes longitude, latitude and altitude data and rate of descent data for said parachute recovery system which said control system processes to steer said parachute recovery system to a precise location and to control a rate of descent for said parachute recovery system allowing for a non-destructive touchdown and said non-destructive landing of said payload.

10. A precision parachute recovery system comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular shaped parachute having a parachute body, said parachute body having a plurality of individual cells arranged side-by-side along the width of said parachute;

(b) a plurality of control lines having one end thereof connected to said parachute and an opposite end;

(c) a servo system having the opposite end of each of said control lines connected thereto, said servo system separately adjusting the length of each of said control lines to steer said parachute including;

(i) an antenna for receiving global positioning system data in a radio frequency signal format, said global positioning system data, said global positioning data including longitude, latitude and altitude data and rate of descent data for said precision parachute recovery system;

(ii) a digital computer connected to said antenna to receive said global positioning system data;

(iii) a plurality of servo motors connected to said digital computer, each of said servo motors having a shaft and a capstan attached to the shaft of each of said servo motors, the capstan of each servo motor having the opposite end of only one of said control lines connected thereto;

(iv) said digital computer processing said global positioning system data to generate a plurality of positioning signals and to provide said positioning signals to said servo motors;

(v) said servo motors, responsive to said positioning signals, rotating said capstans to continuously adjust the length of each of said control lines to steer said parachute on a flight path to said target landing area and to control a rate of descent for said precision parachute recovery system which allows for a non-destructive touchdown and landing of said precision parachute recovery system within said target landing area; and

(d) a target drone removably coupled to said servo system to allow said target drone to be removed from said servo system after the non-destructive landing of said precision parachute recovery system within said target landing area.

11. The parachute recovery system of claim 10 wherein said plurality of control lines comprises six control lines.

12. The parachute recovery system of claim 10 wherein said servo system further comprises a beacon having an antenna for transmitting radio frequency signals which provide location data for said parachute recovery system relating to a direction of flight of said parachute recovery system and a current position for said parachute recovery system.

13. A precision parachute recovery system comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular shaped parachute having a parachute body, said parachute body having a plurality of individual cells arranged side-by-side along the width of said parachute;

(b) six control lines, a first, a second and a third of said six control lines having one end thereof connected to one side of said parachute and a fourth, a fifth and a sixth of said control having said one end thereof connected to an opposite side of said parachute, each of said control lines having an opposite end;

(c) a servo system having the opposite end of each of said six control lines connected thereto, said servo system separately adjusting the length of each of said six control lines to steer said parachute including;

(i) an antenna for receiving global positioning system data in a radio frequency signal format, said global positioning system data, said global positioning data including longitude, latitude and altitude data and rate of descent data for said precision parachute recovery system;

(ii) a digital computer connected to said antenna to receive said global positioning system data;

(iii) six servo motors connected to said digital computer, each of said six servo motors having a shaft and a capstan attached to the shaft of each of said six servo motors, the capstan of each servo motor having the opposite end of only one of said six control lines connected thereto;

(iv) said digital computer processing said global positioning system data and said target landing area coordinates to generate a plurality of positioning signals and to provide said positioning signals to said six servo motors;

(v) said six servo motors, responsive to said positioning signals, rotating said capstans to continuously adjust the length of each of said six control lines to steer said parachute on a flight path to said target landing area and to control a rate of descent for said precision parachute recovery system which allows for a non-destructive touchdown and landing of said precision parachute recovery system within said target landing area;

and

(d) a target drone removably coupled to said servo system to allow said target drone to be removed from said servo system after the non-destructive landing of said precision parachute recovery system within said target landing area.

14. The parachute recovery system of claim 13 wherein said servo system further comprises a beacon having an antenna for transmitting radio frequency signals which provide location data for said parachute recovery system relating to a direction of flight of said parachute recovery system and a current position for said parachute recovery system.