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Model aircraft airbags

I'm surprised it hasn't been posted already. Seriously, look at all of this external airbag prior art!
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When learning to fly a radio-controlled aircraft, you will likely crash quite a bit, which can damage your model. They're generally easy to repair, but what if you didn't need to?

I suggest adding a simple airbag to be activated immediately before crashing. It would be just a simple lightweight plastic bag packed into a compartment at a strategic location on the airframe, connected to, say, a 12-gram CO2 cartridge, with a solenoid valve in between. Many model aircraft are easily capable of carrying such a mass. When a crash is imminent, it inflates, cushioning both the aircraft and whatever it collides with.

On an airplane with a pusher propeller, the setup is easy: just put it in the nose. With a tractor configuration, it would be more difficult and would have to be up to the designer/builder of the plane. Maybe the motor could retract, or the airbag could be reinforced against propeller damage, or it could expand around the propeller. Helicopters and multicopters are more difficult still—perhaps detach the rotor(s) immediately prior to airbag deployment? And the airbag would need to cover all sides of a helicopter/multicopter, because they're far more likely than airplanes to crash in random orientations and directions.

Deployment could be manual via a button or switch on the transmitter, and/or triggered by proximity sensors on the model, to detect uncontrolled (i.e. not a deliberate landing) approach to obstacles or terrain.

Could also act as a flotation device in case of a crash into water, if your aircraft isn't buoyant enough on its own, triggered by water contact.

notexactly, Feb 10 2016

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External airbag for human body, that of an elderly person Air Bag Suit
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External airbags for human body, drunk AirBagz(tm) for Clothing
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External airbag for bus wing mirrors Soft wing mirrors
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External airbag for human body, waist-mounted Airbag Fanny Pack
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External airbag for mobile phone, Amazon version https://www.google....tents/US20110194230
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External airbag for mobile phone, Honda version https://www.youtube...watch?v=t_l_8r7NgJ4
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External airbags for car, providing flotation Car flotation airbag system
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External airbag for laptop screen, against fists Computer Airbags
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External airbags for human body, riding a motorcycle Bikers Glove
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External airbag for human crotch, against dog paws Dogproof trousers with airbag
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External airbag for staircase, to protect fallers Stairbags
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External airbags for Mars lander, providing landing cushioning https://en.wikipedi...descent_and_landing
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External airbags for Mars rovers, providing landing cushioning https://en.wikipedi...ation_Rover#Airbags
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External airbag for child car seat Exploding Infant Seat
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External airbags for human body, that of a car passenger https://web.archive.../idea/Body_20airbag
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External airbags for car, providing flotation Submerged Protection
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for car, to protect wild animals Bunny Bag
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External airbag for mobile phone of automobile driver, to accomplish something I can't understand Car phone airbag
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External airbag (and other devices) for avalanche victim safer thrill sports
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbags for boat, providing flotation SailboatAirbags
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External airbag for human body, driving a car without airbags Whoopee-Suit
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for computer monitor, against coffee Coffee fountain airbag
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbags for broken-up airplane pieces (see [yikes!!!]'s anno) Commercial airliner parachute system
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External airbag for small car, to launch it into the air to avoid crashing (see [doctorremulac3]'s second anno) Crash Survivable Design For Micro Cars
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag-equipped driverless cars, to cushion other vehicles' collisions (see [Vernon]'s anno) Driverless Car Buffer Vehicles
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External airbag-equipped remotely driven cars, to cushion main vehicle's collisions EV BumperSafetyCar
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External airbags for intact (but not model) airplane External Airbags
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External airbag for ballistic bird's-eye-view camera, to cushion landing, triggered by acoustic rangefinder Eyes in the sky for the regular guy
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External airbags for mobile phone, to provide cushioning and act as a footbag Hacky Sack Cell Phone
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for laptop computer Laptop Airbag
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbags for human body, falling from aircraft Layman's Parachute
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for human body, that of an elderly person https://wayback.arc...idea/PersonalAirbag
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for mobile phone and human body distracted from surroundings thereby Safety Cellphone
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbags for human head, part of the hat that caused the collision in the first place Side_20Scanning_20(...d_20Detection_20Hat
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbags for car Standardized bumper cars
Prior art [notexactly, Feb 10 2016]

External airbag for car, to save pedestrians Switl external airbag
Posterior art (my own) [notexactly, Mar 20 2020]

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