Aerial delivery vehicle
AssigneeFreedom Flight Works, Inc.
InventorsAustin Blue, Scott Duffy, Stephan Veillard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aerial delivery systems are described including a propulsion unit, a deployable parafoil attached to the propulsion unit, a control/navigation unit operably connected to the parafoil, and a support truss connected to the propulsion unit. The system may be configured to attach to and transport a payload. The propulsion unit may be configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed and the control/navigation unit may be configured to steer the parafoil while deployed.
Claims20
An aerial delivery system, comprising:
- a propulsion unit including a motor;
- a deployable parafoil attached to the propulsion unit;
- a control/navigation unit operably connected to the parafoil;
- and
- a support truss connected to the propulsion unit,
- wherein, the system is configured to attach to and transport a payload,
- the propulsion unit is configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed,
- the control/navigation unit is configured to steer the parafoil while deployed,
- the aerial delivery system is configured to be deployed from an aircraft with, and attached to the payload, and
- the control/navigation unit is configured to turn on the motor after the aerial delivery system is deployed from the aircraft.
An aerial delivery system, comprising:
- a propulsion unit including a motor;
- a deployable parafoil attached to the propulsion unit;
- a control/navigation unit operably connected to the parafoil;
- a support truss connected to the propulsion unit;
- wherein, the system is configured to attach to and transport a payload,
- the propulsion unit is configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed,
- the control/navigation unit is configured to steer the parafoil while deployed,
- the aerial delivery system is configured to be deployed from an aircraft with, and attached to, the payload, and
- the support truss is configured to suspend the payload via at least four harness straps that attach to the payload at different points, and converge to a common attachment point below the support truss.
An aerial delivery system, comprising:
- a propulsion unit including a motor;
- a control/navigation unit operably connected to the propulsion unit via a plurality of first risers;
- a deployable parafoil operably connected to the control/navigation unit via a plurality of second risers;
- a support truss connected to the propulsion unit;
- and
- a suspension harness configured to hang a payload from the support truss,
- wherein, the propulsion unit is configured to provide thrust to the aerial delivery system while the parafoil is deployed,
- the control/navigation unit is configured to steer the parafoil while deployed via the plurality of second risers, and
- the aerial delivery system is configured to be deployed from an aircraft with, and attached to, the payload.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.