SBIR-STTR Award

Autonomous Rotary Wing Hoist Rescue Load Stability System - Stokes Litter Attachment
Award last edited on: 12/14/2022

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$1,305,898
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
AF183-005
Principal Investigator
Derek Sikora

Company Information

Vita Inclinata Technologies LLC (AKA: Vita Inclinata Techologies Inc)

295 Interlocken Boulevard Suite 175
Broomfield, CO 80021
   (833) 600-8482
   vita@vitatech.co
   www.vitatech.co
Location: Single
Congr. District: 02
County: Jefferson

Phase I

Contract Number: FA3002-19-P-A064
Start Date: 11/26/2018    Completed: 2/14/2019
Phase I year
2019
Phase I Amount
$74,640
Vita Inclinata Technologies proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of an autonomous, unmanned suspended load stability system for integration into all rotary wing Search and Rescue (SAR) & sling load operations. Helicopter SAR missions are often subject to adverse conditions attributed to environmental elements, flight dynamic side effects, degraded communications, and enemy threats. These adverse conditions cause complicating, dangerous, and mission aborting suspended load translational and rotational motion. The proposed solution, referred to as the Load Stability System (LSS), eliminates 95% of the suspended load motion by exerting counterforce sourced from high performance Electric Ducted Fans (EDFs), at, or near, the location of the load, from a standalone device. Consequently, the system enhances mission safety and reduces communication fault impacts by completely relieving the pilot and crew of suspended load stability responsibilities. Moreover, the performance envelope of such operations is increased by integrating the capability for the LSS to dynamically control load location, regardless of aircraft motion.Vita is collaborating with industry OEMs on integrating the technology into the current & future helicopter rescue systems.Machine Intelligence,Search and Rescue,unmanned air vehicle,Flight Stability Systems,Automated systems,Life-Saving,Helicopter,safety

Phase II

Contract Number: FA8650-19-9-9335
Start Date: 3/6/2019    Completed: 5/29/2020
Phase II year
2019
Phase II Amount
$1,231,258
The objective of the Phase II effort is to demonstrate the 1st autonomous, unmanned hoist rescue stability system through live flight trials with the USAF 129th RQS. Under the Phase I effort, Vita identified USAF Search and Rescue (SAR) pilots and flight engineers who detailed the severity of rotary wing rescue missions due to adverse conditions attributed to environmental elements, scenario attributes, flight dynamic side effects, degraded communications, and enemy threats. Such adverse conditions cause complicating, dangerous, and mission aborting suspended litter oscillatory and rotational motion that result in injuries & mishaps . Vita proposed reconfiguring an autonomous motion control solution for sling load operations, the Load Stability SystemSling Load (LSS-SL), to a SAR equipped version, the LSS-Litter Attachment (LSS-LA). The proposed system shall stabilize suspended litter oscillatory and rotational motion autonomously by sensing motion, localizing, then exerting counter thrust sourced from high energy electric duct fans. The LSS-LA is platform agnostic in that it does not require any power or data interface, enabling rapid deployment in all SAR missions.