FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS PRECISION AERIAL DELIVERY SYSTEM (APADS) "PEGASUS"

The feasibility demonstration of an autonomous Global Positioning System (GPS) guided aerial delivery system is outlined. The goal was to demonstrate small scale autonomous aerial delivery from stand-ornigh- altitudes release points, navigate to the primary landing zones via waypoints, and to execute a into the wind "Soft landing". Lessons learn and further development has matured the project into the advanced precision aerial delivery system known as PEGASUS. This development described includes flight system improvement in lift to drag ratio through parafoil inlet parasitic drag reduction, Froude scaling to 2400-lb. gross weights, and deployment development for low opening shock levels. Nomenclature