Autonomous control of a parafoil recovery system for UAVs

Abstract

A parafoil system for autonomously controlling the gliding descent of a payload/UAV from a launch point to a predetermined recovery area and manipulating the parafoil to execute a soft landing in the recovery area, a sensing means associated with the system for determining wind speed and direction, as well as altitude, heading and position of the system, a means housed within the system for processing information received from the sensing means to determine the gliding flight path from the launch point to a predetermined recovery area and the execution of a flare maneuver to achieve a soft landing, control surface means on the parafoil canopy, mechanical means coupling the information processing means with the control surface means for adjusting the control surface means to accomplish the steering to the recovery area during gliding flight and the flare maneuver during landing, and a power source in the payload/UAV.

What I claim is :  
     
         1 . A system for autonomously controlling the glide path and flare landing of a parafoil recovery system for the recovery of an airborne payload from a launch point to a predetermined recovery area, comprising: 
 a parafoil canopy coupled to said payload, said parafoil canopy having a flexible leading edge and a flexible trailing edge, said trailing edge having a control surface;    sensing means associated with said system for determining wind speed and direction, as well as altitude, heading and position of said system,    means housed within said payload of the said recovery system for continuously processing information received from said sensing means to determine the glide flight path from the launch point to said recovery area and flare landing maneuver to enable a soft landing, control surface means on said trailing edge of the said recovery system;    mechanical means coupling said information processing means with said control surface means relative to the trailing edge of said parafoil recovery system power source means in said payload,    whereby adjustment of said control surface means is performed on a continuous basis throughout the gliding flight of said recovery system from launch to said recover area.    
     
     
         2 . The gliding path and flare maneuver controlling system of  claim 1 , wherein said mechanical means comprises spool means on said payload and control lines wrapped about said spool means and attached at one end to said trailing edge control surfaces.  
     
     
         3 . The gliding path and flare maneuver controlling means of  claim 2 , and further comprising motors functionally coupled with said processing means and said spool means, for driving said spools in one of a forward winding rotation or a rearward unwinding rotation, whereby as said flight path is determined, adjustments to said control surfaces are made on a continuing basis until the payload impacts the recovery area.  
     
     
         4 . The gliding flight path and flare maneuver controlling means of  claim 3 , wherein said control surfaces comprise said flexible trailing edge of said parafoil canopy.