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The AirMule, formerly Air Mule or Mule, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) codename Pereira (shapiyriyt; ' )(Dragonfly), is an unmanned flying car UAS designed by Rafi Yoeli and built by Tactical Robotics LTD., a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics LTD. in Yavne, Israel. It will be used in search and rescue operations where it would be too dangerous or inaccessible for a helicopter, such as evacuating people from the upper stories of burning buildings, or delivering and extracting police and soldiers while very close to structures, narrow streets, and or through holes into confined spaces. ==Background== After the 2006 Lebanon War, the IDF realized that it needed a special vehicle that could fly unmanned behind enemy lines in order to rescue its wounded. While the helicopter is the best evacuation vehicle, it requires an area clear of trees or electricity columns in order to land without obstructing the rotor. Chances of it safely leaving a fire-heavy zone are small as it attracts all sorts of weapons fire. The advantages of a ducted fan propelled unmanned air vehicle are that it could offer the same capabilities as helicopters, but without the serious operating limitations. It could navigate in and out of creeks, city streets, next to big buildings, compact alleyways and refugee camp warrens, while the shielded rotor blades make the AirMule tougher than a regular helicopter. Being unmanned, the AirMule could enter situations too risky for regular helicopters. It could deliver supplies or cargo, evacuate up to two casualties from the battlefield and transferring them to a field deployed hospital for medical treatment. Some missions may require to be conducted up to hundreds of kilometers from forward operating bases (FOB) and medical care facilities with the only medical support available on scene being unit medics or fellow soldiers. The war reports have shown that moving an individual only a few hundred yards can take an hour or more. As of 2012 and into 2014, according to NATO STO TR-HFM-184 report, the AirMule remains the only available design that meets NATO and IDF requirement for an unmanned MEDEVAC and CASEVAC vehicle. Urban Aeronautics Ltd. has patented its design as Fancraft.〔() Urban Aeronautics〕 The Fancraft technologies are supported by 37 registered (granted) patents and 12 additional are in the process. Tactical Robotics Ltd. (TRL), as a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics Ltd. has an exclusive license for use predominantly in the unmanned military and homeland security markets. TRL has taken the lead in the development of the AirMule. Metro Skyways Ltd. (MSL), as a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics Ltd. has an exclusive license for use predominantly in the manned civil Air-Taxi as well as Air-Rescue and MedEvac markets. MSL has taken the lead in the development of the X-Hawk. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Urban Aeronautics AirMule」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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