Impact velocity reduction by mass ejection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322817-B2
Application number	US-201815879166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft is deployed where the aircraft includes a first part and a second part, the two parts are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed, and the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft. A landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is determined and it is decided whether to decouple the two parts, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited. If it is decided to decouple the two parts from each other, they are decoupled from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
deploying a ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft, wherein:
the aircraft includes a first part and a second part;
the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed; and
the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft;

determining a landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft;
deciding whether to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited; and
in response to deciding to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, decoupling the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited includes:
scanning the landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the landing zone is inhabited.

3. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the landing zone is a projected landing zone associated with a future decoupling of the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other; and
deciding whether the projected landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited includes:
scanning the projected landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the projected landing zone is inhabited.

4. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
deploy a ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft, wherein:
the aircraft includes a first part and a second part;
the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed; and
the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft;

determine a landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft;
decide whether to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited; and
in response to deciding to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other.

5. The system recited in claim 4 , wherein the instructions for deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited include instructions for:
scanning the landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the landing zone is inhabited.

6. The system recited in claim 4 , wherein:
the landing zone is a projected landing zone associated with a future decoupling of the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other; and
the instructions for deciding whether the projected landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited include instructions for:
scanning the projected landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the projected landing zone is inhabited.

7. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
deploying a ballistic parachute associated with an aircraft, wherein:
the aircraft includes a first part and a second part;
the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft are detachably coupled to each other when the ballistic parachute is deployed; and
the ballistic parachute is coupled to the first part of the aircraft;

determining a landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft;
deciding whether to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, including by deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited; and
in response to deciding to decouple the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other, decoupling the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other.

8. The computer program product recited in claim 7 , wherein the computer instructions for deciding whether the landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited include computer instructions for:
scanning the landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the landing zone is inhabited.

9. The computer program product recited in claim 7 , wherein:
the landing zone is a projected landing zone associated with a future decoupling of the first part of the aircraft and the second part of the aircraft from each other; and
the computer instructions for deciding whether the projected landing zone associated with the second part of the aircraft is inhabited include computer instructions for:
scanning the projected landing zone using a thermal sensor in order to obtain a plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone; and
in the event it is determined that at least one temperature in the plurality of temperatures associated with the projected landing zone is greater than a threshold, deciding that the projected landing zone is inhabited.

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Vawter Zachais
• Reichert Todd

Classifications

• B64U70/83

  using parachutes, balloons or the like · CPC title

• B64D25/08

  Ejecting or escaping means · CPC title

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2201/042

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D17/725

  by explosive means · CPC title