초록 ▼

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 location. The parachute recovery system comprises a payload, a parachute or parasail and a guidance control elect

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 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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A 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 sai

1. A 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 preprogrammed target landing area coordinates unit for providing target landing area coordinates defining a target landing area for said parachute recovery system; (d) a servo system having the opposite end of each of said control lines connected thereto, said servo system including: (i) an antenna for receiving position data in a radio frequency signal format; (ii) a guidance control device connected to said antenna to receive said position data and said preprogrammed target landing area coordinates unit to receive said target landing area coordinates; (iii) a plurality of servo motors connected to said guidance control device, 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 one of said control lines connected thereto; (iv) said guidance control device processing said position data and said target landing area coordinates 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 and separately adjust the length of each of said control lines steering said parachute on a flight path to a non-destructive landing of said parachute recovery system within said target landing area; (e) an inertial navigation unit connected to said guidance control device, said inertial navigation unit being adapted to operate as a backup unit for said antenna to provide said position data to said guidance control device whenever said antenna fails to provide said position data to said guidance control device; and (f) a payload removably coupled to said servo system to allow said payload to be removed from said servo system after the non-destructive landing within of said parachute recovery system said target landing area.