Apparatus and method for measuring angular positions of parachute canopies

An apparatus for measuring spatial positions of parachute canopies relative to the payload has been developed and successfully tested with a cluster of three parachutes. Positions of the three canopies during their opening were measured in terms of the azimuthal and polar angles relative to the payload. The measurements are useful for studying the unsteady aerodynamics of clustered parachute opening. The apparatus is simple, small, and lightweight. It can be used for any size of parachute and payload because of the special design features.