Parachute with improved gliding features

1 . A ram-air parachute system comprising:

upper and lower airfoil surface members;

at least two proximal wall members extending between proximal edges of the upper and lower airfoil surface members, each proximal wall member extending distally and away from a longitudinal center of the parachute system;

at least one distal wall member extending between distal edges of the upper and lower airfoil surface members;

a plurality of interior wall members positioned within a space at least partially bounded by the upper and lower airfoil surface members, the proximal wall members and the at least one distal wall member, the interior wall members being positioned distal to one of the proximal wall members and extending distally and away from the longitudinal center of the parachute system; and

a plurality of proximal-facing air inlets defined between the interior wall members and the upper and lower airfoil surface members;

wherein a plurality of edge airfoils are defined between the proximal wall members and at least a portion of the upper airfoil surface member, the lower airfoil surface member and the at least one distal wall member;

wherein the edge airfoils are in fluidic communication with the proximal-facing air inlet such that air may flow into the edge airfoils via the proximal-facing air inlet and inflate the edge airfoils; and

wherein inflation of the edge airfoils vertically expands the parachute system, increasing a vertical distance between the upper and lower airfoil surface members.

2 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , further comprising least one central wall member positioned within a space at least partially bounded by the upper and lower airfoil surface members and a distal portion of the interior wall member, at least a portion of the central wall members being positioned distal to one of the proximal wall members and extending distally and substantially parallel to the longitudinal center of the parachute system;

wherein a central airfoil is defined between the adjacent proximal wall members and at least a portion of the central wall members, the upper airfoil surface member, and the lower airfoil surface member; and

wherein the central airfoil is in fluidic communication with the proximal-facing air inlet such that air may flow into the central airfoil via the proximal-facing air inlet and inflate the edge airfoils; and

wherein inflation of the edge airfoils facilitates vertically expanding the parachute system in conjunction with inflation of the edge airfoils.

3 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first conductor positioned within an edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils; and

a second conductor positioned within the same edge airfoil as the first conductor at a position distal the first conductor; and

control circuitry connected to each of the first and second conductors and configured to positively charge the first conductor and negatively charge the second conductor;

wherein air particles adjacent to the first conductor are ionized by the positive charging thereof and attracted to the second conductor by the negative charging thereof, creating a distal flow of air into and out of the edge airfoil.

4 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 3 , wherein each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, and control circuitry.

5 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 3 , wherein:

the first conductor is a wire of conductive material; and

the second conductor is a film of conductive material.

6 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 3 , further comprising an airflow housing positioned within the same edge airfoil as the first and second conductors;

wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are housed by the airflow housing.

7 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 6 , wherein each airflow housing comprises at least two airflow openings positioned extending from an interior area of the airflow housing through a lower portion of the airflow housing;

wherein one of the airflow openings is proximate to a first end of the airflow housing; and

wherein another one of the airflow opening is proximate to a second end of the airflow housing.

8 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 3 , further comprising:

a third conductor positioned within the same edge airfoil as the first and second conductors at a position distal the second conductor; and

a fourth conductor positioned within the same edge airfoil as the first, second, and third conductors at a position distal the third conductor; and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to positively charge the third conductor and negatively charge the fourth conductor;

wherein air particles adjacent to the third conductor are ionized by the positive charging thereof and attracted to the fourth conductor by the negative charging thereof, supplementing the distal flow of air into and out from the edge airfoil.

9 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 8 , further comprising an airflow housing positioned within the same edge airfoil as the first, second, third, and fourth conductors;

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth conductors are housed by the airflow housing.

10 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 9 , further comprising:

first conductors positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils; and

second conductors positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils at a position distal the first conductor; and

control circuitry connected to each of the first and second conductors and configured to positively charge one of the first conductors and the second conductors and negatively charge the other of the first conductors and the second conductors;

wherein air particles adjacent to the positively-charged conductors are ionized by the positive charging thereof and attracted to the negatively-charged conductors adjacent to the positively-charged conductors by the negative charging thereof, creating a distal flow of air into and out from the plurality of edge airfoils and the central airfoil.

11 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , wherein:

the lower airfoil surface member comprises at least one detachable panel; and

detachment of the at least one detachable panel creates at least one opening in the lower airfoil surface member to permit at least one of installment and removal of at least one airflow control device within at least one of the plurality of edge airfoils.

12 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , wherein the lower airfoil surface member is fabricated at least partially from a metamaterial configured to contract when a current is applied thereto, the parachute system further comprising control circuitry operable to selectively temporarily apply current to the lower airfoil surface member to cause the lower airfoil surface member to contract, thereby imparting an inverted-U shape to the parachute system, and then cease applying current, permitting the lower airfoil surface member to return to its uncontracted state.

13 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a motor;

a first control line attached at a first end to the motor and at a second end towards a first lateral end of the parachute system;

a second control line attached at a first end to the motor and at a second end towards a second lateral end of the parachute system opposite the first lateral end;

wherein the motor is operable selectively retract each of the first and second control lines, thereby applying a downward force on the lateral ends of the parachute system to impart an inverted-U shape, and then release the retracted first and second control lines to permit the parachute system to return to its contracted shape.

14 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , wherein the distal wall member comprises one or more apertures positioned at a distal end of the plurality of edge airfoils and configured to permit selective venting of air in the edge airfoil adjacent thereto.

15 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first inflatable winglet positioned at a first lateral end of the parachute system;

a second inflatable winglet positioned at a second lateral end of the parachute system; and

a plurality of airflow control devices positioned between one of the first and second inflatable winglets and the edge airfoils adjacent the first and second winglets, the airflow control devices being configured to selectively permit air to flow into the first and second inflatable winglets from the edge airfoil adjacent thereto.

16 . A ram-air parachute system comprising:

upper and lower airfoil surface members;

at least two proximal wall members extending between proximal edges of the upper and lower airfoil surface members, each proximal wall member extending distally and away from a longitudinal center of the parachute system;

at least one distal wall member extending between distal edges of the upper and lower airfoil surface members;

at least two interior wall members positioned within a space at least partially bounded by the upper and lower airfoil surface members, each interior wall member being positioned distal to one of the proximal wall members and extending distally and away from the longitudinal center of the parachute system; and

at least one proximal-facing air inlet defined between the interior wall members and the upper and lower airfoil surface members;

a plurality of edge airfoils are defined between the proximal wall members and at least a portion of the interior wall members, the upper airfoil surface member, the lower airfoil surface member and the at least one distal wall member;

a first conductor positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils; and

a second conductor positioned within the each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils at a position distal the first conductor; and

control circuitry connected to each of the first and second conductors and configured to positively charge one of the first conductor and the second conductor and negatively charge the other of the first conductor and the second conductor;

wherein the edge airfoils are in fluidic communication with the proximal-facing air inlet such that air may flow into the edge airfoils via the proximal-facing air inlet and inflate the edge airfoils;

wherein inflation of the edge airfoils vertically expands the parachute system, increasing a vertical distance between the upper and lower airfoil surface members;

wherein air particles adjacent to the positively-charged conductor are ionized by the positive charging thereof and attracted to the negatively-charged conductor by the negative charging thereof, creating a flow of air within the edge airfoil;

wherein the lower airfoil surface member comprises at least one detachable panel; and

wherein detachment of the at least one detachable panel creates an opening in the lower airfoil surface member to permit at least one of installment and removal of the first conductor and the second conductor.

17 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 16 , further comprising:

at least one central wall member positioned within a space at least partially bounded by the upper and lower airfoil surface members and a distal portion of the interior wall member, at least a portion of the central wall members being positioned distal to one of the proximal wall members and extending distally and substantially parallel to the longitudinal center of the parachute system, defining a central airfoil between the adjacent proximal wall members and at least a portion of the central wall members, the upper airfoil surface member, and the lower airfoil surface member; and

the first and second conductors positioned within the central airfoil, the second conductor being positioned distal the first conductor;

wherein the central airfoil is in fluidic communication with the proximal-facing air inlet such that air may flow into the central airfoil via the proximal-facing air inlet and inflate the edge airfoils;

wherein inflation of the edge airfoils facilitates vertically expanding the parachute system in conjunction with inflation of the edge airfoils; and

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to positively charge one of the first conductors and the second conductors of the central airfoil and negatively charge the other of the first conductors and the second conductors of the central airfoil;

wherein air particles adjacent to the positively-charged conductor of the central airfoil are ionized by the positive charging thereof and attracted to the negatively-charged conductor of the central airfoil adjacent to the positively-charged conductor, creating a flow of air within the central airfoil.

18 . The ram-air parachute system of claim 16 , further comprising an airflow housing positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils;

wherein the first and the second conductors are positioned within the airflow housings.

19 . A method of operating a ram-air parachute system that comprises upper and lower airfoil surface members, at least two proximal wall members, at least one proximal-facing inlet, at least two interior wall members, a plurality of edge airfoils defined between the proximal wall members and at least a portion of the interior wall members, the upper airfoil surface member, and the lower airfoil surface member, at least one distal wall member extending between distal edges of the upper and lower airfoil surface members, a first conductor positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils, a second conductor positioned within each edge airfoil of the plurality of edge airfoils at a position distal the first conductor, and control circuitry connected to each of the first and second conductors, the method comprising:

polarizing one of the first and second conductors to have a positive polarity, thereby ionizing air particles adjacent thereto;

polarizing the other of the first and second conductors to have a negative polarity, thereby attracting the ionized air particles;

establishing a flow of air in the edge airfoil through polarization of the first and second conductors; and

vertically expanding the edge airfoils through air flowing into the proximal-facing inlet and into the edge airfoils, thereby inflating the edge airfoils and increasing a vertical distance between the upper and lower airfoil surface members.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising performing a flapping procedure of the ram-air parachute system to selectively contract and expand the edges of the ram-air parachute system towards and away from a central axis of the ram-air parachute system.