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.

There is provided a safety apparatus including a push-up member in which an ejected object is hardly displaced even during transportation, and an aerial vehicle including the safety apparatus. A safety apparatus 100 includes a cylinder 14 that accommodates a piston member 10 and is provided with a bore 13 through which the piston member 10 protrudes to the outside (upward in FIG. 1) during operation, a push-up member 15 that is pushed up in one direction by the piston member 10, an ejected 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, a container 18 that has a bottomed cylindrical shape and accommodates the piston member 10, the cylinder 14, the push-up member 15, the ejected object 16, and the gas generator 17, and a lid 21 that closes an opening end of the container 18. A movement preventing member 27 that prevents the ejected object 16 from moving in a circumferential direction of a bottomed cylindrical portion 19 is provided on an upper surface of a support 20 of the push-up member 15.

A multi-staged suspension line length parachute may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged suspension line length parachute. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.

A multi-staged suspension line length parachute may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged suspension line length parachute. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.

A parachute device for drone includes a container, a power source, a base, a parachute body and an open-assist member. A top of the container has an opening. The power source is disposed on a bottom of the container. The base is disposed on the power source. The parachute body, disposed on the base, is in a folded status. The open-assist member is disposed in the parachute body. The open-assist member contacts the base and the center of the inner surface of the parachute body.

A parachute device for drone includes a container, a power source, a base, a parachute body and an open-assist member. A top of the container has an opening. The power source is disposed on a bottom of the container. The base is disposed on the power source. The parachute body, disposed on the base, is in a folded status. The open-assist member is disposed in the parachute body. The open-assist member contacts the base and the center of the inner surface of the parachute body.

A multi-staged drogue parachute assembly may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.

A multi-staged drogue parachute assembly may include a suspension line having a primary length and a secondary length. The primary length may be deployable upon a first deployment of the multi-staged drogue parachute assembly. The secondary length may be prevented from deployment until the primary length has fully deployed. An attenuator may attach a first portion of the secondary length to a second portion of the secondary length.