Kitty Hawk Corporation

Venturi Astrolab, Inc.

Craig Western

Damon Vander Lind

Amy Qian

Peter A Swan

Timothy Mattson

Eric Miller

Andrew J Welter

Russell D Billing

James Thomas Yaru

Jaret B Matthews

Andrew David Goessling

Some embodiments of the disclosure are directed to latching interfaces of a vehicle. In some embodiments, the vehicle comprises a latch system including a plurality of latches configured to selectively interlock with a corresponding first plurality of latch receptacles of a respective payload. In some embodiments, the vehicle comprises a second plurality of latch receptacles disposed on exterior portions of the chassis of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the second plurality of latch receptacles correspond to the first plurality of latch receptacles. In some embodiments, a spatial arrangement of the second plurality of latch receptacles on the exterior portions of the chassis of the vehicle corresponds to a spatial arrangement of the first plurality of latch receptacles on exterior portions of the respective payload. In some embodiments, the second plurality of latch receptacles of the vehicle are configured to interlock with a latching interface of an external system.

Interfaces for vehicular retrieval, transportation, and/or deposition of payloads and methods thereof

Some embodiments of the disclosure are directed to vehicular retrieval, transportation, and/or deposition of payloads. In some embodiments, a vehicle is configured to identify and approach, via a plurality of propulsion components, a respective payload. In some embodiments, the vehicle is configured to adjust a height of a chassis of the vehicle, via the plurality of control legs, with respect to a reference to position interior portions of the chassis around a surface of the respective payload. In some embodiments, the vehicle is configured to engage with, via a latching system, the respective payload. In some embodiments, the vehicle is configured to transport the respective payload, via the plurality of propulsion components, to a respective target location. In some embodiments, the vehicle is configured to disengage from the respective payload, via the latching system, to deposit the respective payload at the respective target location.

Vehicular systems for retrieval, transportation, and/or deposition of payloads and methods thereof

In an embodiment, a system to deploy a plurality of parachutes includes a plurality of parachute canopies each packed in a canister, a plurality of rockets adapted to extract an associated canopy from the canister, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine that an aircraft is at least one of: in a hover mode of operation and a forward flight mode of operation. In response to the determination that the aircraft is in the hover mode of operation, the controller applies a hover deployment sequence including by instructing the plurality of parachutes to deploy substantially simultaneously. In response to the determination that the aircraft is in the forward mode of operation and above a threshold airspeed, the controller applies a forward deployment sequence including by instructing the plurality of parachutes to deploy in a predefined sequence.

Parachute architecture for low-altitude VTOL aircraft

A selection is made between single stage and multistage parachute deployment for a vehicle based at least in part on vehicle state information. In the event multistage parachute deployment is selected, a drogue parachute is deployed during a first deployment stage and afterwards, a main parachute is deployed during a second deployment stage. In the event single stage parachute deployment is selected, at least the main parachute is deployed in a single stage where in the event the drogue parachute is deployed during the single stage, the drogue and main parachute are deployed simultaneously.

Recovery system using vehicle state information

In an embodiment, a parachute deployment system includes a parachute coupled to a release via a first load path. The first path includes crown lines. The release is adapted to attach the parachute to a rocket via the crown lines, and disengage the parachute from the rocket if a load shifts from the first path to a second path. The system also includes a line constrainer between the release and the parachute. The crown lines pass through the line constrainer, and the line constrainer is adapted to restrict an extent to which the crown lines are able to extend away from a longitudinal axis. An example release includes a back plate configured to couple a tow line to crown lines and a soft pin. The pin is adapted to separate from the back plate in response to tensioning of the release line, causing the parachute to disengage.

Parachute tow and release system with canopy extraction controlled by drag surface

A parachute system includes a release that detachably couples a self-propelled projectile and parachute canopy to each other. The release detaches the two from each other in response to a triggering of the release. There is also a first path between the release and a payload where the first path includes the parachute canopy and a suspension line between the parachute canopy and the payload. At least part of the suspension line is bound such that the first path is effectively shorter than a second path. In response to the first path being drawn taut, the suspension line becomes unbound so that the first path becomes effectively longer than the second path. In response to the second path being drawn taut after the suspension line becomes unbound, the release is triggered.

Parachute deployment system using decoupled tow and release lines

A parachute system includes a parachute which is coupled to a rocket via a first load path, which includes a tow line, one or more upper parachute lines, and one or more lower parachute lines, and a second load path, which includes a release line. The rocket is configured to tow the parachute via the tow line. There is a lower parachute line restrainer which when released permits the lower parachute lines to extend to full length. There is also a release which is configured to open in the event a load switches from the first load path to the second load path; when the release is open, the parachute and the rocket are permitted to separate.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Craig Western