Quote Originally Posted by DaleB View Post
I don't think there would be time to deploy a parachute system if one (or more) rotors fail. The high CG and un-balanced vertical thrust will flip that thing over in a heartbeat. Just my opinion. You could use accelerometers to determine when to automatically deploy -- a risky approach, but in any case I doubt a 'chute would do a lot of good outside of one or two specific failure modes.
I think an automated deployment system would work. Continuously monitor rates and power levels, and if a set of thresholds are exceeded, kill all power and fire the chute.

Down low is going to be a bad part of the envelope, though. A conventional (Cirrus-like) ballistic chute wouldn't open fast enough to inflate until one gets several hundred feet high. Depending on the type of failure, in the interim, the aircraft may well get to a high deck angle.

This basically needs the capability of a zero-zero ejection seat, which the Russian industries have done pretty well at. Explosive opening of the chute, rockets stabilize the body. It is going to run the price up quite a bit. May be some pushback from civil authorities regarding operating in urban areas...all the rockets and explosions might not be too good for the other cars in the Value Village parking lot.

Finally, this system is going to require a lot of testing. As Dale says, you can operate it remotely easily enough, but I suspect you'll trash several very expensive vehicles by the time you get it right.

Ron Wanttaja