Russian Military’s Smart Parachute Can Deliver Essential Cargo in Autonomous Mode

Autonomous technology is currently being integrated into various types of air-based, land-based, or maritime means of transportation, so it’s not surprising that even parachutes would become able to operate this way. Uncrewed operations are particularly important for military applications, because they don’t put personnel at risk, and because they can get the job done without most of the limitations that are inevitably linked to human-centered missions.

This new smart cargo parachute combines the benefits of automated operations with high payload capacity. It can deliver military goods in the so-called guidance mode, based on digital communication with ground control, using the coordinates provided by either GPS (Global Positioning System), or GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System, the Russian-developed navigation system).

Thanks to these navigation systems, the smart cargo parachute performs with high accuracy – it can land from up to 26,246 feet (8,000 meters), with a landing error of maximum 328 feet (100 meters). It’s also designed to be used with different types of aircraft operated by the Russian Army.

If needed, the cargo parachute can also operate with a leading parachutist, following him instead of the data provided through the navigation system. In terms of payload, it can drop cargo weighing more than 550 lbs (250 kg), but its capacity can double, according to the manufacturer, with the help of a multi-purpose harness. Both the parachute and the harness were developed at the Polet Ivanovo Parachute Plant.

According to the Rostec state corporation, the smart parachute system (which was recently patented) is still in the development phase, undergoing flight tests. By the end of the year, other tests will follow, at the Ministry of Defense’s State Flight Test Center.