Israeli Company Creating the Car of The Future

Israel – In an unassuming hangar in Yavneh’s industrial zone, a dozen people are quietly building the future. Urban Aeronautics is a group of scientists, engineers, and two former Israeli air force commanders joined in the common goal of creating the world’s first flying vehicle. Named AirMule, the car is an unmanned, single engine craft that uses vertical take-off and landing, much like a helicopter. Unlike a helicopter, however, the AirMule has no external rotors, enabling it to fly near buildings, in forests, and other urban and natural terrains.

CEO and Founder Dr. Rafi Yoeli, along with a world-class team, is using his 25 years of experience in aerospace research and development to create a machine that answers every problem the traditional helicopter faces. Although helicopters land and take-off vertically, their external rotors don’t allow them to fly safely in complex surroundings. They are unsuitable for rescue missions that require close contact with their subjects, and are unable to enter dangerous environments without risk to the pilot. While unmanned, rotorless aircrafts have long been seen as an ideal solution, no company has ever managed to create such a craft while maintaining the high standards set by aviation authorities- Until now.

The AirMule has been expertly designed to combat the three largest problems previous flying vehicles faced: slow flying speed, short flight duration, and instability in windy conditions. The Urban Aeronautics team designed a unique aerodynamic configuration, which when combined with lightweight materials, specialized steering flaps, and an advanced engine, allows the AirMule to fly a revolutionary 120 knots while maintaining a stable 4-8 hour flight duration, regardless of wind conditions. At the same time, the AirMule has a cargo capacity of 640-1300 kg and a flying altitude of up to 12,000 feet, the same as a helicopter.

This unique combination of science and technology has created the world’s first, most advanced rotorless flying craft. The AirMule can fly quickly and discreetly in low-altitude though all areas, and land on as little as 8×6 meters of space. It can deliver food and other supplies to dangerous, inaccessible areas. It can fly near skyscrapers to extinguish fires and save people trapped inside. It can rescue wounded soldiers in enemy terrain, or stranded victims of natural disasters, without risk to a pilot. It can even be used for private applications, acting as a flying car or taxi that literally overpasses the morning gridlock. And it does all this unmanned and independently, while meeting the strict standards of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Understandably, Dr. Yoeli’s creation has generated substantial excitement in the unmanned aviation world, a field currently enjoying 10-14% rapid annual growth. The military Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) market is forecast to reach $10 Billion by 2017, with vertical take-off and landing (VTL) crafts like AirMule expected to hold 20% of the market share. Urban Aeronautics is the only company with a comprehensively tested VTL model that meets all FAA and military needs and requirements. BH Jetson, Urban Aeronautics’ main shareholder, has made it its mission to bring the wonders of the AirMule to the mainstream market, offering civilians the chance to take part in the aviation of the future. Many Americans are joining investors worldwide in what is most likely to become a normal mode of transportation in the not so distant future.

{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}