Autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control of Large Parafoils

** Under the Joint Precision Airdrop System program, a Draper Laboratory autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) software package that enables precision payload airdrop delivery using large parafoils has been developed in prototype form and succe ssfully flight tested. The modular software design is structured to accommodate parafoil airdrop systems for payloads ranging from under 2,000 lb to over 30,000 lb. The initial GN&C software implementation has been demonstrated on the Para -Flite Dragonfl y 10,000 lb -class parafoil using an Airborne Guidance Unit (AGU) provided by Wamore, Inc. and an avionics package provided by RoboTek. Among the primary avionics selection criteria was low component cost, resulting in use of a processor with very limited data throughput capability. To accommodate the processor limits, the Guidance algorithm includes table driven trajectory data that guides the parafoil through precision final -descent maneuvers while imposing very limited processor throughput burden. The GN&C algorithms and associated mission planning software have also been incorporated into the Precision Airdrop System laptop personal computer. This accommodates easy, in the field, ground loading of the GN&C software onto the AGU and enables PADS update s of the airdrop system mission files during flight of the carrier aircraft to the airdrop release point. The details of the GN&C design and flight test results to date are discussed.