In other words, anywhere, if only soldiers of the near future were able to quickly evacuate or, on the contrary, break into the thick of actions. The corresponding announcement with the main details of the competition was published recently on the website of the Office of Prospective Research Projects of the US Department of Defense (DARPA). For the first prototype, any participant is assigned a remuneration of up to one and a half million dollars.
What is important, the military did not designate the preferred flight technology. Conditions concern the ease of use and realistic production. Participants can rely on their engineering vision: can be offered to the competition at least parafoil or Vingusa - the main thing is that they are with the engine. And they could take off from anywhere - this is just a key point.
PORTABLE PERSONAL AIR MOBILITY SYSTEM), from the Darpa's point of view, must meet the following requirements:
- Easy to learn the untrained pilot for a period of relatively short training;
- independence from external equipment or conditions when starting and landing;
- Deploying within 10 minutes using the simplest tools or without them at all;
- Intuitive management with developed helpers based on computer systems.
The power plant, as already mentioned, can be any - electric power supply from batteries or from hydrogen fuel cells or on classic types of fuel. The mechanism of the flight is also not specified, that is, it can be both multicopters and reactive systems with a vertical take-off and landing or some aircraft type systems. Finally, there are no criteria that regulate the duration of the flight and the readiness time for reuse, if such is generally provided.
At first glance, the military simply do not know what they want. However, the impression is deceptive. This is just the maximum open request for any promising technologies applicable in the field of portable individual aircraft. After at least something realistic appears on the stage, Darpa will assess the applicability with the participation of representatives of various types of troops, and then will form a practical economy. Sometimes such contests end in nothing, sometimes their fruits dissolve in an atmosphere of shortness and secrecy, and then pop up in completely unexpected military developments. As conceived, however.
To the civil market, the results of such campaigns also fall, but rather in the form of by-products or indirect consequences. For example, many modern startups engaged in unmanned cars, rooted in research groups that participated in Darpa Grand Challenge. These Robot Machine Competitions were held in 2004, 2005 and 2007 - first in the desert, and then in urban conditions.
The theme of the rockets in particular or portable means of individual air mobility as a whole worries the Pentagon for a long time. Since the 1960s, the concepts and prototypes of such devices have been tested every decade. But despite the outstanding technical achievements of the XX century engineers, the topic has never moved from the dead point. Progress has been outlined in early 2010: For example, Jetpack International has been selling his jet Retanet Jet Pack T-73 and modifications (approximately 200 thousand dollars). By the way, it was she who since 2016 cooperates with the command of special operations of the United States (SOCOM). And Gravity Industries creates a jet rocket for the Royal Fleet of the UK, allowing you to quickly leave the landing boat.
From the point of view of military, such devices can be extremely useful at least in two applications. First, it is a search and salvation of personnel in the combat zones. And secondly, Sof Infil / Exfil is the methods of delivery or evacuation of special forces of special purpose from certain situations. Regardless of whether someone has a real iron man suit for Darpa, such studies will significantly promote the development of technologies. Simply put, it will be interesting anyway.
Source: Naked Science