An aerial vehicle safety apparatus includes an expandable object, an ejection apparatus, a bag-shaped member, and a gas generator. The expandable object is wound or folded in a non-expanded state and generates at least any of lift and buoyancy in an expanded state. The ejection apparatus is coupled to the expandable object by a coupling member and ejects the non-expanded expandable object into air. The bag-shaped member is provided in the expandable object and wound or folded together with or separately from the non-expanded expandable object, and expands the non-expanded expandable object by at least partially being inflated like a tube. The gas generator is provided in the expandable object and inflates the bag-shaped member by causing gas generated at the time of activation to flow into the bag-shaped member.

An aerial vehicle safety apparatus includes a safety mechanism, a drive mechanism, an ejection mechanism, and a control mechanism. The safety mechanism is used for securing safety of at least one of an aerial vehicle and an object outside the aerial vehicle. The drive mechanism includes at least one drive unit serving as a drive source of the safety mechanism. The ejection mechanism ejects the drive mechanism together with the safety mechanism. The control mechanism controls operations of the drive mechanism for the drive mechanism to drive the safety mechanism after the ejection mechanism starts ejection of the safety mechanism.

A drogue bridle separation assembly may comprise a housing and a pyrotechnic fastener. The housing may define a riser channel and a fastener opening. The pyrotechnic fastener may be configured to extend through the fastener opening and the riser channel. The pyrotechnic fastener includes a charge configured to undergo an exothermic reaction in response to an electrical signal.

A system to deploy a parachute is disclosed. In various embodiments, a plurality of rockets are attached to a perimeter of the parachute. Each of the rockets is configured to fly initially in a first direction substantially in a direction of deployment of the parachute and to fly subsequently along a trajectory that includes a component that is substantially perpendicular to the direction of deployment and extends radially from a center of the parachute.

A chute-deployment-seat-release system for an ejection seat may be configured to deploy a parachute from the ejection seat and release an occupant restraint of the ejection seat. The chute-deployment-seat-release system may comprise an auto-deployment assembly, including a first power supply, and a manual deployment assembly, including a second power supply and a handle. The first power supply may be configured to activate in response to expulsion of the ejection seat from an aircraft. The second power supply may be configured to activate in response to an actuation of the handle.

A parachute is coupled to a rocket where the parachute is extracted by having the rocket pull on the parachute. A parachute strap couples the parachute to an aircraft where at a first point in time, a first section of the parachute strap and a second section of the parachute strap are both secured independently of each other. At a second point in time, the second section of the parachute strap is still secured while the first section of the parachute strap is released where the released first section of the parachute strap gradually becomes taut as the parachute is extracted.

An aerial vehicle includes a lift generation member provided in an airframe in an expandable manner, a manipulation mechanism connected to the lift generation member and configured to manipulate the lift generation member, an expansion apparatus configured to expand the lift generation member, a control unit configured to control the manipulation mechanism, and a falling sensing unit configured to sense falling of the airframe. The expansion apparatus is configured to expand the lift generation member based on a falling sensing signal and the control unit is configured to start control of the manipulation mechanism based on the falling sensing signal.

Damage mitigating apparatus comprises totally extending hollow tubes, and projectiles attached to undeployed fabric and formed with a tube-receivable rod. Pressurized gas which is generated upon triggering of a gas generator flows through the tubes to propel the projection and to cause performance of at damage mitigating operation. In one embodiment, a damage mitigating aerial vehicle comprises sensors for detecting flight related characteristics and a communication unit for commanding activation of parachute deploying apparatus and of a lift generator deactivation unit following determination of a flight failure. In one embodiment, an aerial vehicle transmits a critical failure alarm signal to an unmanned aircraft traffic management system (UTM) station following detection of to failure, and the UTM elation transmits a warning signal to neighboring aerial vehicles that are predicted to be in a vicinity of the descent path of the failed aerial vehicle to avoid collision with the failed aerial vehicle.

A parachute deployment system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a parachute is tethered to an aircraft. A self-propelled projectile is tethered to the parachute. The self-propelled projectile is configured to be launched in a trajectory away from the aircraft. Once launched, the self-propelled projectile pulls the parachute taut in one dimension.

A selection is made between single stage and multistage parachute deployment for a vehicle based at least in part on vehicle state information. In the event multistage parachute deployment is selected, a drogue parachute is deployed during a first deployment stage and afterwards, a main parachute is deployed during a second deployment stage. In the event single stage parachute deployment is selected, at least the main parachute is deployed in a single stage where in the event the drogue parachute is deployed during the single stage, the drogue and main parachute are deployed simultaneously.