Aerial delivery system

An aerial delivery system for aerial delivery of cargo from an aircraft, the aerial delivery system comprising:

• an extraction assembly comprising:
• a coupling device and a coupling arrangement, the coupling device being configured to switch the coupling arrangement from an open configuration in which a main parachute deployment line is uncoupled from an extraction parachute to a closed configuration in which the main parachute deployment line is coupled to the extraction parachute;
• and
• an extraction parachute release assembly configured to cause an extraction parachute release device to uncouple the extraction parachute from the cargo;
• wherein the coupling device comprises a first drop arm arranged to initially be held in a first configuration of the first drop arm by contact with an aircraft structure, wherein the coupling device is arranged to cause the coupling arrangement to switch from the open configuration to the closed configuration in response to activation of the first drop arm, the first drop arm being activated upon movement of the first drop arm from the first configuration of the first drop arm to a second configuration of the first drop arm as a position of the coupling device relative to the aircraft structure changes during extraction of the cargo from the aircraft;
• and
• wherein the extraction parachute release assembly comprises a second drop arm arranged to initially be held in a first configuration of the second drop arm by contact with an aircraft structure, wherein the extraction parachute release assembly is configured to cause the extraction parachute release device to uncouple the extraction parachute from the cargo in response to activation of the second drop arm, the second drop arm being activated upon movement of the second drop arm from the first configuration of the second drop arm to a second configuration of the second drop arm as a position of the extraction parachute release assembly relative to the aircraft structure changes during extraction of the cargo from the aircraft;
• wherein the first drop arm and the second drop arm are arranged such that the first drop arm and the second drop arm are activated at different times during extraction of the cargo from the aircraft.

An aerial delivery system for aerial delivery of cargo from an aircraft, the aerial delivery system comprising:

• an extraction assembly comprising:
• a coupling arrangement comprising a first coupling portion for connection to an extraction parachute and a second coupling portion for connection to a main parachute deployment line;
• a coupling device being configured to switch the coupling arrangement from an open configuration of the coupling arrangement in which the first coupling portion is uncoupled from the second coupling portion such that the main parachute deployment line is uncoupled from the extraction parachute, to a closed configuration of the coupling arrangement in which the first coupling portion is coupled to the second coupling portion such that the main parachute deployment line is coupled to the extraction parachute upon movement of the cargo to a first position relative to the aircraft;
• and
• an extraction parachute release device configured to uncouple the extraction parachute from the cargo upon movement of the cargo to a second position relative to the aircraft prior to or after movement of the cargo to the first position, the extraction parachute release device comprising a pair of jaws mounted to a body of the extraction assembly, each one of the jaws being configured to move, relative to the body, towards and away from another of the jaws;
• wherein the extraction parachute release device comprises a closed configuration of the extraction parachute release device in which in which the jaws engage with opposing sides of the first coupling portion to retain the first coupling portion such that a drag force generated by the extraction parachute is exerted on the cargo via the first coupling portion;
• and
• wherein the extraction parachute release device is movable to an open configuration of the extraction parachute release device in which the jaws are disengaged from the opposing sides of the first coupling portion to release the first coupling portion and thereby release the extraction parachute from the cargo, wherein the jaws are disengaged by moving, relative to the body, away from the first coupling portion.