Photo: Tautvydas Bertasius
The development of electric battery technology IS driving the transportation forward, and the Sikorsky KANI Light Aircraft concept by Tautvydas Bertasius is just one of the cool things we might see in a future not that far away.
If anything, the KANI looks like the postmodern-age nephew of Frank Herbert's Ornithopters of the Dune world, albeit this light aircraft is engineered for search and rescue only.
The KANI takes flight thanks to two tilting omnidirectional rotors that allow it to fly fast, hover, take on vertically or even fly in reverse with precision and ease.
Energy comes from onboard battery packs with inductive charging, and this is one of the crucial points of the entire concept. This eliminates all the cable clutter and the need for an operator to hook the lines to the charging ports. The platforms the KANI aircraft lands on can serve as a charging station and it just doesn't get any simpler than this.
As it was imagined in this stage, KANI can carry an operator and an injured person, though certain injuries that require that the passengers be laid on their back are currently out of the question.
Even so, because KANI is way cheaper to maintain and fly than a large helicopter that is traditionally used in search and rescue operations in areas that are hard to reach, the idea of being able to access such remote zones faster and cheaper sounds great.
SAR helicopters usually come from coast guard or military bases and this means they need time to be deployed, whereas a fleet of KANI could be stationed pretty much anywhere, and even in dedicated fast-response bases that are as minimalist as a small hangar with a charging station.
Such aircraft can also be flown remotely and thanks to its smaller dimensions, it can land in places where large choppers won't make it. A special landing gear makes sure that KANI can land even on sloped terrain, again, a feature not accessible to helicopters.
Its lightweight construction is ensured by using F1 aluminum and carbon fiber honeycomb structures in combination with polycarbonate panels. Cue special-design harnesses, a modular interior design and a parachute for emergency situations.
Sounds and looks a bit too futuristic maybe, but vehicles like KANI are most likely closer to becoming reality than we might think. Could we have one as a tribute to Dr. Hinds?
The KANI takes flight thanks to two tilting omnidirectional rotors that allow it to fly fast, hover, take on vertically or even fly in reverse with precision and ease.
Energy comes from onboard battery packs with inductive charging, and this is one of the crucial points of the entire concept. This eliminates all the cable clutter and the need for an operator to hook the lines to the charging ports. The platforms the KANI aircraft lands on can serve as a charging station and it just doesn't get any simpler than this.
As it was imagined in this stage, KANI can carry an operator and an injured person, though certain injuries that require that the passengers be laid on their back are currently out of the question.
Even so, because KANI is way cheaper to maintain and fly than a large helicopter that is traditionally used in search and rescue operations in areas that are hard to reach, the idea of being able to access such remote zones faster and cheaper sounds great.
SAR helicopters usually come from coast guard or military bases and this means they need time to be deployed, whereas a fleet of KANI could be stationed pretty much anywhere, and even in dedicated fast-response bases that are as minimalist as a small hangar with a charging station.
Such aircraft can also be flown remotely and thanks to its smaller dimensions, it can land in places where large choppers won't make it. A special landing gear makes sure that KANI can land even on sloped terrain, again, a feature not accessible to helicopters.
Its lightweight construction is ensured by using F1 aluminum and carbon fiber honeycomb structures in combination with polycarbonate panels. Cue special-design harnesses, a modular interior design and a parachute for emergency situations.
Sounds and looks a bit too futuristic maybe, but vehicles like KANI are most likely closer to becoming reality than we might think. Could we have one as a tribute to Dr. Hinds?
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