Patent ID: 11459114

Abstract:
In an example, a system is described. The system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a UAV control system to control flight of the UAV. The system also comprises a steerable parachute system for parachute-assisted landing. The steerable parachute system comprises (i) a deployable parachute having steerable parachute cables, (ii) steering actuators, each steering actuator coupled to, and movable to adjust, a respective steerable parachute cable, (iii) a steerable parachute controller, and (iv) one or more parachute system sensors communicatively coupled to the steerable parachute controller and configured to detect physical characteristics of a reachable landing zone for the UAV. The steerable parachute controller is configured to (i) select a safe landing location within the reachable landing zone based on the physical characteristics and (ii) control movement of the steering actuators to steer the parachute to land the UAV at the safe landing location.