Method and apparatus for parafoil guidance that accounts for ground winds

• US 8,437,891 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Government Of 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: Yakimenko, Oleg, Bourakov, Eugene, Hewgley, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US13/083,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3- 5, 701/7, 701/14, 244/75.1, 244/142, 244/180, 244/902
• US Class Current: 701/4
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/00 Parachutes non canopied parachutes B64D19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/025 for gliding chutes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0684 on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/105 specially adapted for unpowered flight, e.g. glider, parachuting, forced landing parachutes per se B64D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A method is described that involves determining a higher altitude wind. The method further includes determining a wind model with the higher altitude wind. The wind model includes a linear or logarithmic increase in wind magnitude with increasing altitude beneath the higher altitude. The method further includes determining locations of a flight path for a parafoil based on calculations that use the wind model. The calculations are performed by an electronic control unit that is transported by the parafoil. The method also includes controlling the parafoil'"'"'s flight path consistently with the determined locations. The controlling is performed by the control unit.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a higher altitude wind;

determining a wind model with said higher altitude wind, said wind model including a linear or logarithmic increase in wind magnitude with increasing altitude beneath said higher altitude;

determining locations of a flight path for a parafoil based on calculations that use said wind model, said calculations performed by an electronic control unit that is transported by said parafoil; and

,

controlling said parafoil'"'"'s flight path consistently with said determined locations, said controlling performed by said control unit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said wind model includes a linear reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude when ground wind is available.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said wind model includes a logarithmic reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said determining of said wind model is performed by said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated to said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated by a second control unit of a second parafoil that is dropped from an airborne vehicle before said parafoil and said control unit are dropped.

7. A machine readable storage medium containing program code that when processed by a processing core of a parafoil'"'"'s electronic control unit causes a method to be performed, said method comprising:

determining a higher altitude wind;

determining a wind model with said higher altitude wind, said wind model including a linear or logarithmic increase in wind magnitude with increasing altitude beneath said higher altitude;

determining locations of a flight path for a parafoil based on calculations that use said wind model, said calculations performed by an electronic control unit that is transported by said parafoil; and

,

controlling said parafoil'"'"'s flight path consistently with said determined locations, said controlling performed by said control unit.

8. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein said wind model includes a linear reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude when ground wind is available.

9. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein said wind model includes a logarithmic reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude.

10. The machine readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said determining of said wind model is performed by said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

11. The machine readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated to said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

12. The machine readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated by a second control unit of a second parafoil that is dropped from an airborne vehicle before said parafoil and said control unit are dropped.

13. A parafoil'"'"'s electronic control unit, said control unit having a processing core to perform the following method:

determining a higher altitude wind;

determining a wind model with said higher altitude wind, said wind model including a linear or logarithmic increase in wind magnitude with increasing altitude beneath said higher altitude;

determining locations of a flight path for a parafoil based on calculations that use said wind model, said calculations performed by an electronic control unit that is transported by said parafoil; and

,

controlling said parafoil'"'"'s flight path consistently with said determined locations, said controlling performed by said control unit.

14. The electronic control unit of claim 13 wherein said wind model includes a linear reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude if/when ground wind is available.

15. The electronic control unit of claim 13 wherein said wind model includes a logarithmic reduction in wind magnitude with decreasing altitude.

16. The electronic control unit of claim 15 wherein said determining of said wind model is performed by said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

17. The electronic control unit of claim 13 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated to said control unit while said control unit is loitering.

18. The electronic control unit of claim 17 wherein said ground wind is wirelessly communicated by a second control unit of a second parafoil that is dropped from an airborne vehicle before said parafoil and said control unit are dropped.