Session: 06-07-01- Sustainable design

Paper Number: 93895

93895 - Autonomous Aerial Supply Delivery: Parachute Release and Impact Study 

Currently, US military operations are limited by logistical restraints. Soldiers’ quality of life, and subsequently their mission success, directly correlates to the type and frequency of resupply. Common supply deliveries include ammunition, food, water, and medical equipment. Increasing rates of resupply will decrease the weight soldiers need to carry for lengthy operations in areas without conventional logistical support. In decreasing the carrying weight, soldiers will be more efficient in their operations and be capable of conducting longer and more remote missions. The purpose of this research was to develop an autonomous aerial cargo delivery system capable of resupplying soldiers in contested and austere locations. Specifically focusing on the final leg of delivery, this device transports cargo from a long-range Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to the ground in a controlled, low altitude drop. Essential to the system’s design was the integration of current and familiar US military techniques, manufacturing processes, and materials. The design incorporates multiple mechanisms from a variety of aerial systems, resupply doctrines, impact absorption and material research, and parachute operations. Although, designed for multiple platforms, the aerial platform used for modeling was the Squad Operations Advanced Resupply (SOAR) system currently in development at the DEVCOM Soldier Center. The payload delivery system design for the SOAR vehicle features a reusable rail system made from aluminum linear rails, a three-ring release mechanism from Army personnel and supply parachute systems, a modified Low-Cost Low-Altitude (LCLA) parachute, linear actuator, and an infrared receiver system. The cargo hold within the system utilizes a net made from recycled two-inch and one-inch nylon straps. A cross-stitched pattern, supplemented with adhesive materials, was used to secure each strap within the net and ensure its structural integrity. To stabilize the cargo within the net and increase survivability, a combination of ½ in. plywood, paper honeycomb, and tri-walled cardboard was constructed as a base for the payload. The parachute was modified from a thirty-five-foot diameter, eight leg system to a six-foot diameter, conical system to adapt it for the intended delivery weight and storage within the SOAR payload bay. Upon arrival at the programmed delivery location, the SOAR releases the payload via the linear actuator and three-ring release mechanism upon initiation from the infrared receiver. Upon exit, the parachute deploys and controls the acceleration of the fifty lb. payload to the ground, minimizing the impact velocity to 28.5 ft/s for a 100–400-foot drop. The impact materials are biodegradable, and the rail system, three-ring release, linear actuator, and IR receiver system can be used for multiple operations. The net and parachute may also be recycled by the receiving soldiers on the ground. Sustainable, recyclable, and using materials and techniques familiar to current military personnel, this design provides lifesaving and mission essential supplies to soldiers on the ground with limited human interaction and environmental impact.

Presenting Author: Kristina Hughes United States Military Academy

Presenting Author Biography: A native of State College, Pennsylvania, Kristina Hughes is a Mechanical Engineering major with three undergraduate publications in helicopter hoist stabilization and orbital debris modeling with mathematical estimation. Outside of academics, she is the Co-Captain of the 10-time national champion West Point Boxing team, and she is the President of two of the Military Academy's organizations: Elevation Initiative and Commission for Christ. She formerly served as the lead officer for her company of 120 students, and she currently serves as the lead officer for her battalion of 360 students. With her studies in Mechanical Engineering, she is working to apply methods of controls and modeling to improving economic and infrastructural development following humanitarian crises to ensure future sustainability, safety, and quality of life. Through her potential graduate studies and future Army career, she hopes to combine her technical expertise with her desire to serve disadvantaged populations by becoming an Aviation officer and pursuing a degree in Humanitarian Engineering and Sustainability .

Authors:

Kristina Hughes United States Military Academy
Katherine King United States Military Academy
Shane Hickman United States Military Academy
August Rannow United States Military Academy
Gregory Freisinger United States Military Academy
Stewart Huntoon United States Military Academy
Ekaterina Kuhlwein US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center
Benjamin Rooney US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center