"lfk f; \"A Lt. - Airborne Systems

. .
Recovery was initiated with pneumatic opening of
the clamshell doors. I.sing the lancin!; bag air supply
as a power source. Two d. ogue $, ugs were -:hen fired
45 degrees aft and up, to pull two 2. 3 ft diameter
pilot chJtes past the stabilizE' These pilot chutes
deployed two 7-ft diameter ringslol extracticn para-
Cllutes. wh ich in turn extracted the 78.ft diameter
main parachutes. The hNO main parachutes WErc
deployed independently left and right of the vertical
stabilizer The main parachutes were reeFed in one
step for fou- seconds. All pilot chute and extraction
paracnute risers were long enough to permit para,
chute inflation behind the 'er:ical stabilizer, Deplcyment
bags were designed with off-center hand'es to
augment lift.out from the parachute compartrner,
and outward deflection away fram the stabilizer, The
main parachute system was qJalified for a 250 knot
opening speed without surpassing the 3 g s loa:! limit,
The airbag system consisted of two dual compartment
cylindrical wing bags and a swsage shaped nose
bag with a small 15- inch diameter non.deilatable
C:w::iliary airbag attached to the nain oag. Ire two
wing bags loeatee well behind the center of gravity of
the vehide, deflated the lower compartments upon
ground contact. The nose bag deflated fully and the
drone came to rest on the nun.deflating auxiliary
nose bag and the two upper compartments of the
wing bags, This system proved quite effective and
landed the USD.5 undamagec in numerous flights
during the service test phase.
CL.S9 Battlefield Reconnaissance RPV. C,madair
in Montreal. Canada has developed a small battlefield
reconnaissance RPV that is in use with several NATO
countries , The 400 knot. 250 pound RPV uses a
drogue parachuTe . rr.ain parachute, airbag recovery
system and a unique homing beacon for a fully automatic
landing, ;:. 500 tt la:1ding circle accuracy is
claimed for t!Jis day or night all-weather reconnaissance
RP\f2
AQM!BGM-34 Remotely Piloted Vehicle Series.
Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical has developed, fa" the
USAF a series of RPV's which includes the AQM-
34M!L reconnaissance RPV, the AQM-34H anc -34V
ECM RPV' s and the mLlti-nission BGM.34C RPV,
These vehicles use helicoPter mid-air retrieval for
recovery. This retriev91 system is discussed in detail
on page 60.
High Altitude Supersonic Target. A high altitude
supersonic target :HAST) has been developed by tre
Beech Aircraft Company 3 177 It covers a perform.
ance range from Mach 1 2 at 35.000 to Mach 4 at
100.000 ft pOllvered by a hyl:rid rocket engine,
Launch of the 120Q-lb drone is by aircraft, and recovery
is by helicopter mid-air retrieval. Tho opora:iona
ecovery system starts with decreasing tile drore
veloci-:y to slight.y below Mach 1 . and the ai tilude to
below 50 OCa feet. It then deploys a 69ft diameter
conical r'bbon parachute for iifitizl deceleration and
descent to 15 000 feet.
At this altitude , the drDgl1e parachute disconnects
and deploys a 45. 5 ft diameter reefed Rirgsail parachute
for m 'd.air retrieval. This concept depends or
the drone havirg completed its mission without
suffering damage thelt cOlild prevent it from reaching
the recovery altitude and speed, Efforts are uncer
way to alow reCO'Jery frorn most of the fl ight performance
envelope. This may result in use of a 5. 8 ft
diameter Hemisflo riboon parachute capable of bein!=
operated at speeds in excess of Mach 2 for decelerating
the drone to the oper9ting envelope of the
second droguE parachute. A -:Iotation system will be
included to facilitate water recovery In cElse parac1utE
deployment occurs bayond the reach of the retrieval
helicopter or at drone weights and rates of descent
LOO high for mid-air retrieval Unique features ,:;f th is
recovery system are the short coupling of the drog.
parachU18 to the ve 1icle , made possible by the slender
streamlined vehicle body, and the 16rge Ringsail main
parachute which combines a h' gh drag with the SiD:.
ted design necessary for the helicopter retrieva hook
10 engage, The main parachJte size, which is neer
maximum tor direct mid-air engagement. avoids the
protlems of the tandem parachute mid-air retrieval
system discussed on page 64 Use 0 Kevlar material
for the fabrication of the first and second stage
drogue parachutes combined with high density packing
procedures will help in reducing the stowed volume
of this advanced recovery system.
Speciaf De'ign Considerations. Positive parachut
deployment from the stowage corrpartment into
good airfow behind the vehicle is ::re of the prime
requisites for reliable pa-Dehute opcrztior, Small
drones successfully use spring loaded pilot chute. and
ejected coors for oilo: chute deployment. Large vehi.
cles need forced deployment of the in itial parachute
such as the drogue gun deplo,;'ed pilot chutes of the
USD-5, or the mortar and catapult ejecte:! drogue
parachutes of the ApD/lo and F. II! crew capsules, A
favorable parachute installation is used in the Tele.
dvne Ryan Firebee target drones and the related -
RPV series. The drosue pariJchutc and nain parE'
chute are stowed one beh:nd the Dther in the ta i of
tile vehicle, Ejection of the tail cone deplovs th9
drogue parachute which stays attached to the fTain
parachute housing. At main parachute deployment