Witness the system’s real-world capabilities in the Black Hawk helicopter rescue ops training race, legacy hoist vs. the Vita Rescue System video.
“The need for precision control technology to stabilize crane loads and helicopter rescue litter baskets cannot be underestimated,” said Caleb Carr, president, and CEO, Vita. “To help us further limit the swing and oscillation associated with lifting and transporting loads, we needed a bigger EDF. Schübeler Technologies has agreed to customize their EDF’s so that now we have robust fan solutions that fulfill the stabilization needs for both aerospace and industrial load stabilization applications—notably improving safety and maneuverability.”
Rather than simply delivering a product to spec, the partnership is essentially an extension of Schübeler Technologys’ R&D work. As needs arise, systems can be built for Vita to address countless real-world challenges. For instance, a helicopter operating in a desert environment needs an EDF propulsion system that manages huge quantities of dirt and dust, while a rescue mission conducted at sea must have EDFs attached that will need to function after being submerged in saltwater. These products must remain reliable after repeated use in harsh environments, under the most intense operational scenarios. Achieving this high level of sustainability involves significant real-world testing—something Schübeler addresses within its R&D function. The Schübeler Technology and Vita partnership will produce custom-built systems tough enough to perform in any challenging conditions.
“Vita has a very smart and unique approach to load stabilization,” said Daniel Schübeler, founder and chief technology officer of Schübeler Technologies. “We provide the aerospace know-how—at the same time we work on these very special propulsion systems which deliver very efficient and robust thrust, fulfilling a very wide variety of requirements to meet the needs of Vita Inclinata.”
Vita was founded in 2009 by Caleb Carr, a former high school search and rescue volunteer who watched a friend die in the mountains partly due to difficult weather conditions rendering a rescue helicopter’s basket hoist unusable. What resulted was an ongoing quest to find specific solutions to problems of stability and load management in high-pressure environments. Vita has built a team of engineers and field experts that gives them inroads into various sectors—including the military and search and rescue operations. Schübeler Technologies, with its own 25-year history of developing some of the world’s best aerospace and industrial propulsion systems, is a natural fit to help Vita fulfill their mission.
“Our reputation in the field of electric ducted fans brings clients to us,” said Schübeler. “And then we don’t disappoint the people. We deliver.”
I’m surprised that EDFs of the size class you could fit on a litter would be effective. Has there been much research into passive solutions, either aerodynamic or anchor based?
I flew Medevac for over 21 years (mil and Civ). This is game changer. This will be a better, safer and faster way of doing hoist missions. no more tag lines, no more have to control the spin of the load.
I’ve flown Medevac in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the States.
What happens when one of the fans breaks?
Then break out the tag line, I guess.
I am wondering though about the performance when empty – in the video it appeared there was already the weight of a mannequin during the descent.
Here’s a couple million-dollar ideas: synchronize the thrusters with the motion of a vessel’s heaving deck. And up-size the thrusters to work with long-line sling-loads.