New kirigami parachute design stabilizes instantly in free fall

Engineers at Polytechnique Montréal have developed a novel parachute design inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of folding and cutting. This parachute is created by laser-cutting a plastic sheet with a closed-loop kirigami pattern, which transforms the sheet into an inverted bell shape during free fall when weighted at its center. Unlike conventional parachutes, it stabilizes instantly, follows a straight ballistic descent without pitching, and uses a single suspension line, reducing tangling and enabling rapid deployment. The design’s seamless construction and predictable, pin-straight descent were confirmed through simulations, wind tunnel tests, laboratory experiments, and outdoor drone drops. The kirigami parachute’s unique structure allows air to pass through small slits formed by the cuts, preventing turbulent airflow that typically destabilizes traditional canopies. This results in smooth, steady descents that remain consistent across different sizes, making the design scalable for various payloads. The researchers see immediate applications in humanitarian aid deliveries to remote areas,