Abstract: An aerial delivery system carrying cargo from an aircraft to ground includes a platform for supporting the cargo; a main parachute for carrying the platform when the platform has exited the aircraft, is airborne, and the main parachute is deployed; a main parachute deployment line to deploy the main parachute, an extraction parachute coupled to the platform and arranged for generating a drag force and exerting the drag force on the platform; and a coupling arrangement switchable between an open configuration where the main parachute deployment line is uncoupled from the extraction parachute and a closed configuration where the main parachute deployment line is coupled to the extraction parachute. When the extraction parachute exerts the drag force on the platform, the coupling arrangement is initially in the open configuration until the coupling arrangement is switched to the closed configuration to couple the main parachute deployment line to the extraction parachute.

Abstract: A disconnect assembly configured to disconnect a parachute of an aerial delivery apparatus from a payload includes a detector device, a disconnect device, and a transmit cable. The detector device is configured to detect that the aerial delivery apparatus has landed, the disconnect device is configured to provide a releasable connection between the parachute and the payload, and the transmit cable is configured to transmit a mechanical trigger force from the detector device to the disconnect device. When the detector device detects that the aerial delivery apparatus has landed, the transmit cable transmits a mechanical trigger force from the detector device to the disconnect device and the disconnect device releases the connection between the parachute and the payload.

Abstract: An aerial delivery platform comprises first and second modules (10a, 10b) each having a respective load-bearing surface (14). The modules (10a, 10b) are hinged together for relative flexing movement about an axis (24) between the modules (10a, 10b). A superstructure of interconnected struts (25, 26, 27, 28, 29) is connected to, and is upstanding from, the modules (10a, 10b) to hold the modules (10a, 10b) with the load bearing surfaces (14) co-planar when loaded and during descent but being elastically deformable to permit limited relative flexing movement between the modules (10a, 10b) under the loads applied by parachute opening and on landing to assist in the absorption the energy transferred to the platform.