A multi-modal aircraft recovery system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a first aircraft recovery parachute having a first set of physical attributes optimized for a first set of conditions and a second aircraft recovery parachute having a second set of physical attributes optimized for a second set of conditions different from the first.

A multi-modal aircraft recovery system is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a first aircraft recovery parachute having a first set of physical attributes optimized for a first set of conditions and a second aircraft recovery parachute having a second set of physical attributes optimized for a second set of conditions different from the first.

A system enabling safe manned and unmanned operations at extremely high altitudes (above 70,000 feet). The system utilizes a balloon launch system and parachute and/or parafoil recovery.

A system enabling safe manned and unmanned operations at extremely high altitudes (above 70,000 feet). The system utilizes a balloon launch system and parachute and/or parafoil recovery.

A drone includes a drone body, a drone body battery provided in the drone body and responsible for supplying power to the drone body, a parachute kit detachably coupled to the drone body and including a parachute therein, a battery detector provided in the parachute kit and responsible for checking the state of the drone body battery, and a parachute controller for controlling the parachute kit depending on the state of the drone body battery detected by the battery detector.

A drone includes a drone body, a drone body battery provided in the drone body and responsible for supplying power to the drone body, a parachute kit detachably coupled to the drone body and including a parachute therein, a battery detector provided in the parachute kit and responsible for checking the state of the drone body battery, and a parachute controller for controlling the parachute kit depending on the state of the drone body battery detected by the battery detector.

Provided are an aerial vehicle safety apparatus capable of smoothly and quickly expanding an expandable object such as a parachute at time of expansion with a simple configuration, and a method of accommodating the expandable object in the aerial vehicle safety apparatus.

An aerial vehicle safety apparatus 100 includes a piston member 10, a cylinder 14 that accommodates the piston member 10 and is provided with a hole 13 through which the piston member 10 protrudes outward at time of operation, a push-up member 15 that is pushed up in one direction by the piston member 10, an expandable object 16 that is pushed up while being supported by the push-up member 15, a gas generator 17 as a power source that moves the piston member 10 in the cylinder 14, and a first member 18 and a second member 21 that serve as a cylindrical container that accommodates the piston member 10, the cylinder 14, the push-up member 15, the expandable object 16, and the gas generator 17. The expandable object 16 is stored in the container so as to form a plurality of layers in a radial direction.

A parafoil for operation at high altitudes, in low density air, or at low airspeeds, and methods for opening same. Some versions of the parafoil comprise flexible members connected to the parafoil canopy. When the parafoil canopy is in a stowed configuration, the members are deformed, storing elastic energy. When the canopy is released from its stowed configuration, the members spring back to their undeformed shapes, thereby opening or assisting with opening the canopy. The flexible member may also be attached to a base structure, which is attached to the payload. The members may comprise rods or hollow tubes that can be flexed using a fulcrum near the base structure, or a spacer plate, so that the ends connected to the canopy are restrained by a parachute bag containing the stowed or packed canopy. The parachute bag can be opened prior to or during detachment of the parafoil from the flight vehicle.

A parafoil for operation at high altitudes, in low density air, or at low airspeeds, and methods for opening same. Some versions of the parafoil comprise flexible members connected to the parafoil canopy. When the parafoil canopy is in a stowed configuration, the members are deformed, storing elastic energy. When the canopy is released from its stowed configuration, the members spring back to their undeformed shapes, thereby opening or assisting with opening the canopy. The flexible member may also be attached to a base structure, which is attached to the payload. The members may comprise rods or hollow tubes that can be flexed using a fulcrum near the base structure, or a spacer plate, so that the ends connected to the canopy are restrained by a parachute bag containing the stowed or packed canopy. The parachute bag can be opened prior to or during detachment of the parafoil from the flight vehicle.

A system is disclosed that includes an interface which receives sensor information associated with a vehicle, a severing tool, a parachute load limiting device state controller, and a reefing device. The controller determines, based at least in part on the sensor information, whether to instruct the severing tool to release a reefing device prior to parachute deployment. If it is determined to instruct the severing tool to release the reefing device prior to the parachute deployment, the severing tool is so instructed. If it is determined to not instruct the severing tool to release the reefing device prior to the parachute deployment, the reefing device is configured to be situated around a parachute canopy to constrain the parachute canopy during an initial state and slide down the parachute canopy to a position below the parachute canopy to constrain one or more parachute tethers.