Abstract: An improved ram air canopy is disclosed having a top skin formed of a plurality of substantially rectangular top skin pieces. Each top skin piece has areas of reduced width at predetermined locations. The areas of reduced width result in a specific tension pattern of the top skin so as to reduce distortion. The increased tension pattern of the top skin better maintains the modeled desired airfoil shape of the canopy.

Abstract: An autonomous guided parachute system for cargo drops that divides the requirements of guidance and soft landing into separate parachutes. Said invention includes a high wing-loaded ram air parachute for guidance, a larger round parachute for soft landing, a harness/container system, flight computer, position sensors and actuation system. The system is dropped from an airplane. A predetermined period of drogue fall ensures a stable position prior to deploying the guidance parachute. The flight controller determines a heading to intersect with an area substantially above the desired target and controls the guidance parachute via pneumatic actuators connected to the parachutes steering lines to fly on that heading. At a minimum altitude prior to the system's impact with the ground the flight computer transitions the system from the fast high performance guidance parachute to a larger landing parachute by releasing the guidance parachute to static line extract and deploy the landing parachute.

Abstract: A ram air parachute of the present invention includes specific cross porting of the ribs between certain cells to create a two-stage or multi-stage deployment. Cross ports between certain sets of cells have reduced or no conductance. In this manner, the center cells of the canopy open first, slowing decent, before the outer cells. The staged deployment reduces the opening forces on the pilot particularly in high speed flights.

Abstract: A hydraulic mechanism is positioned within the drogue bridle of a parachute system. The hydraulic link is slowly moved by tension on the drogue bridle to operate a release. The release operates to release the drogue chute and to deploy the main chute. The movement of the hydraulic link provides a time delay between deployment of the drogue chute and the main chute to allow the load to stabilize before deployment of the main chute.

Abstract: An automatic controlled parachute includes a parachute canopy, a flight controller and risers connecting the canopy to the flight controller. Pneumatic actuators are connected along the risers. The flight controller operates the pneumatic actuators to control the length of the risers. The direction of flight of the parachute is controlled by the length of the risers.

Abstract: The ram air parachute has restrictions on the inlets to the cells to reduce drag during flight and to reduce opening forces. The restrictions include triangular sections blocking portions of the inlets. The triangular sections may be positioned at loaded and non-loaded ribs. Furthermore, the triangular sections are dimensioned to tension the top skin between the loaded ribs and non-loaded ribs to preserve an aerodynamic shape during flight without cross-bracing. The loaded ribs may be shortened to create a zig-zag pattern at the front edge of the bottom skin for improved deployment with reduce drag during flight.