What a Concept!

Moller Firefly 
Moller International Inc. was founded in 1983 to design, manufacture and market vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. More than 200 manned and unmanned flight demonstrations of its two-passenger VTOL, identified as the M200 Neuera Volantor, have occurred since 1989. Currently, a four-passenger volantor designed for much higher speed – the M400 Skycar – is undergoing initial flight-testing and is expected to be FAA-certified as soon as 2010.

However, the newest development Moller has announced is the Firefly; a volantor model derived from the M200X configurations but altered to work as a rescue vehicle alongside highrise buildings.

“The Firefly can address the pressing need for a vehicle that is able to extract trapped personnel directly from the upper floors of office buildings,” states Dr. Paul Moller, president of Moller International. “It can accomplish this by positioning itself adjacent to the building near a window, thereby enabling trapped personnel to exit the building directly into the Firefly.” Unlike a helicopter, the Firefly’s enclosed rotors can approach and dock to the side of a highrise building without interference from a dangerous overhead rotor.

The Firefly will be capable of retrieving three people per trip and transporting them safely to ground level, a capability that is virtually nonexistent in current search and rescue vehicles. Equipped with larger engines to accommodate an increased payload when rescuing people, the Firefly will also have a retractable ramp with handrails to facilitate movement to and from the building.  Additional design benefit is the fact that the operator is seated at the rear of the vehicle where he can oversee and provide direction to those being rescued.

A computer-assisted flight control system enables Firefly operators to easily maneuver the aircraft, requiring less training than conventional air-rescue vehicles. The company anticipates that public safety personnel will be able to operate the vehicle under the authority already granted to local fire and rescue organizations, as the high-rise rescue will typically occur within city limits.