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AirBuoyant has just purchased the rights to the PAM 100 B Flying Platform design and re-designated it the "VertiPod 2" which will be able to carry up to 2 people and fly at up to 60 mph. The VertiPod 2 will require a lot of refinement to make it a viable, supportable, and safe product for the general flying public. We intend to take our time to do it right, but we will not string the market out indefinitely in R&D delays. We intend to offer the VP2 as a kit later this year, for deliveries next year. AirBuoyant is also re-designing the VertiPod 1 to make it safer and more affordable, for release sometime next year. The VP2 will require a pilot's license, though possibly just a Sport Pilot certificate or Single Engine Land, fixed-wing aircraft license (though it is a rotorcraft, it does not fly like a helicopter). The estimated price of the kit will be around $60,000. We have flown the VertiPod 2 and have some video clips of it in and slightly out of ground effect (click below to see video clips). We learned a great deal from these first flights, and are making changes according to the lessons learned. We intend to re-start the flight testing program after these changes are made, sometime by late August or thereabouts. Please stay tuned for updates as we make progress forward.
The VertiPod VP1 is continuing in development as a low-cost aircraft and/or ground-effect vehicle. Unlike a hovercraft, which floats only an inch or two off the ground, a ground-effect vehicle of this type will be able to cruise at 12-18 inches off the ground, giving the pilot a true sense of flying. Because pilot weight will be a consideration for this, we will design the controls to take weight into account, limiting the throttle to keep the craft in ground effect. For UAV applications, it will be able to "free flight" up to 5000 feet. We have decided to go this route to limit liability with this kind of craft, since no license or pilot experience will be needed, and since it will be so affordable. Look for the VP1 to be available sometime in late 2008 or 2009. Please stay tuned for more updates. Clear Skies! Check out Vertipod in the Media.
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