Parachutes are frequently used to deliver payloads to specific locations on the ground when it is not possible for aircraft to land. Typically, such locations are isolated and not accessible by other means of transportation. Parachutes have become one of the main forms of payload delivery to military or civilian personnel located in isolated areas.
If the parachute remains connected to the payload when the payload hits the ground, winds or other air-turbulence can cause the parachute to drag the payload over the ground. This can damage or destroy the payload, see U.S. Patent Publication 2008/0302917 A1. One recent innovation uses a release mechanism with its two release elements fully engaged. A safety tie which is released upon deployment of the parachute compresses a spring that seeks to drive the release elements apart to release the cargo from the parachute when the release elements release upon impact of the cargo with the ground. After the tie is released only the opposing forces applied by the parachute and load keep the release elements together until the cargo impacts the ground. While this approach works well it requires the added complexity and cost of the tie ring and lanyard connected to it to cause its release upon parachute deployment.
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