Israel's DM Aerosafe is seeking investors for its Eagle vertical take-off and landing rescue platform, while US group PAM is continuing development of Individual Lifting Vehicle (ILV) prototypes.
The Eagle is being developed to rescue people beyond the reach of ladders in high-rise buildings, with the platform designed to land on the building or hover by windows, rescuing up to 10 people at a time, says David Metreveli, DM Aerosafe general manager.
Development would cost $1 million annually over two years, says Metreveli. The company has failed to secure backing from Israeli investors and the government, however, forcing it to extend its search outside the country.
The two-level design has four wide-chord ducted fans attached to structural beams and driven by piston engines. A mock-up has been built, with the next stage being a scaled-down remote-controlled demonstrator. Metreveli says "once funding is secured" a sub-scale electric-powered flying model could be operating within months.
Virginia-based PAM's prototype one-man, rotor-based ILV is flying. Although currently powered by two two-cycle Hirth F-30 piston engines, a turbine engine is being considered for the PAM 100B. Applications include patrol duties, law enforcement and special military operations. The company is refining the design to enlarge the flight envelope.Source: Flight International