GlideLine Systems

GlideLine Systems was born out of the SBIR program in partnership with the US Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center. GlideLine is a personal avionics/parachute navigation system for HAHO/HALO jumpers.  GlideLine was designed with the Special Operations Forces personnel in mind and assists in the performance of their very specialized mission requirements.

Since its creation, GlideLine has been jumped an estimated 4000 times in Military Free Fall exercises by all branches of the military, including foreign forces and GlideLine continues to add features and functionality to suit the demands of these specialized soldiers.

Key Features

  • Enables All-Weather HAHO/HALO parachutist navigation
  • Facilitates clandestine insertion from distances in excess of 20 miles from altitudes greater than 25,000 feet (objective of 35,000 ft.)
  • Delivers real-time situational awareness during descent
  • Versatile, ergonomic mounting and stowing
  • Stand-alone mission planner or integrates to JPADS for up-to-date wind profile and data
  • Post-mission analysis for training and debriefing
  • Runs on Windows based computers (Android OS coming soon)
GlideLine in Use

The GlideLine™ system enhances mission success by providing pinpoint guidance and situational awareness to parachutists conducting HALO/HAHO operations, allowing them to land at a precise geographical point, under a wide variety of meteorological conditions and at any time of day or night. GlideLine™ includes a mission planning module that uses weather data and equipment parameters to calculate flight envelopes which are transferred to ruggedized computers carried by each jumper.

After the jumper exits the aircraft, the navigation software provides a continuously-updated, graphical display of location relative to one or more targets and provides heading, altitude, descent rate, and course-correction cues during flight. Post-jump analysis and playback is also provided and incorporates both public resources such as GoogleEarth and military-specific resources such as FalconView. The GlideLine™ system contains stand-alone mission planning software which interfaces directly with the Joint Precision Air Drop System (JPADS) for current wind forecasts and complete mission plans.

Alternately, the Mission Planner obtains winds aloft forecasts from NOAA or FAA sources, and has the ability to display map, satellite, and terrain data for planned missions using publicly-available sources and FalconView.

GlideLine Facts

  • Delivers real-time situational awareness:
    • Optimal Glide paths to Designated Impact Point(DIP) and alternates
    • Intuitive display of of flight parameters
  • Wireless connectivity jumper-to-jumper and jumper-to-cargo
  • Wireless download of navigation and wind forecast tools and mission planners
  • Versatile and ergonomic mounting and stowing
  • Compatible with:
    • JPADS
    • FalconView
    • Helmet Mounted Displays (HMD)
    • Night Vision Goggles
    • Radio and Comm gear
  • Stand-alone mission planner:
    • Obtains wind forecasts from multiple sources
    • Wireless transfer of mission plan from jump-master to all jumpers
    • Displays position, distance, time to jump point (HARP)
    • Interactive map display of mission parameters
  • Provides post-mission analysis/training/debrief:
    • 3D visualization of jump path
    • Display in FalconView or GoogleEarth
  • Collision avoidance with other jumpers, cargo terrestrial objects