Does anyone still drop cargo from a low flying plane, on a sled slowed by drag chute?

Answer 1

The technique is called LAPES -- Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System -- and is still used (though infrequently) by the U.S. Army Airborne. It is useful for delivering large loads to a contested landing strip.

There's a terrific video out on the web that shows the misadventures of some airborne and :APES drops. If you can find it, it is worth if for the laughs, especially the shot of the cargo vehicle that breaks free from its skid and goes free-wheeling off into the sunset!

Answer 2

Firefighters (smoke jumpers) do, they parachute into the area where they are going to fight a fire, usually a national forest, and then the cargo planes drop their equipment. The military also does supply drops like this sometimes.

Answer 3

Yes, it is a very effective method to deploy cargo.

Answer 4

This is done every week with teams in the artic and antartica.
Yes the military developed it, but found other ways to get the goods in.

Answer 5

yes