Patent ID: 8066224

Claim:
A deceleration platform for aerial delivery of payloads into aquatic environments, said platform comprising: a frame including a plurality of frame members defining a base, at least two of said frame members having bottom support surfaces which form a flat plane in order to support a remainder of the platform and the payload stably on a flat surface; a flexible sheet which is tensioned into planar sections by being stretched over and attached to said frame, said tensioned flexible sheet forming on said frame prior to payload loading two substantially continuous deceleration walls which converge downwardly to join at an intermediary lower tip end part, said planar sections of said deceleration walls and said tip end part together defining a staged v cross-section when viewed horizontally from one end thereof, said deceleration walls each having a first lower portion adjacent to said tip end part and a second higher portion extending from said first lower portion, said first lower portions of said deceleration walls together forming with respect to each other a first angle of divergence and, together with said tip end part, defining a lower tip section, and said second higher portions of said deceleration walls together forming with respect to each other a second angle of divergence and defining a body section, wherein said second angle of divergence is greater than said first angle of divergence and thus the staged v cross section is defined by the first and second angles of divergence.