Onyx Industries Tests Smart Parachutes for Precision Supply Drops
Virginia-based Onyx Industries demonstrated its RAM-T (Rigged Alternate Method Tandem) air delivery system paired with a GPS-guided JPADS parachute built by Airborne Systems. The system uses an autonomously steered parafoil to deliver payloads precisely to a designated landing point, allowing aircraft to release cargo from higher altitudes and greater distances, reducing exposure to enemy fire. The demonstration featured an inflatable payload barrel made from rugged Hypalon-coated fabric to protect cargo such as unmanned systems, communications gear, and weapons during landing. JPADS technology, developed jointly by the U.S. Army and Air Force since 1993 and first used in combat in Afghanistan in 2006, continuously adjusts steering lines for real-time course correction. The RAM-T platform comes in four configurations, with maximum exit weight of 1,000 pounds, and includes a wheeled carriage and modular ballast system for precise weight adjustments.
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