Jetpack pioneer introduces versatile military drone: Weapon of the week

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

TIME NOW FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, AND WHILE YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE NAME MAYMAN AEROSPACE, YOU MIGHT VERY WELL KNOW THE MAN THE COMPANY IS NAMED FOR. 

THIS IS DAVID MAYMAN, AND THIS IS HIM EXPERIENCING THE WORLD, AND THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, WEARING A JETPACK.

MAYMAN’S  INTEREST IN VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING TECHNOLOGY SPAWNED A NEW PURSUIT. ONE WITH NATIONAL DEFENSE IN MIND. 

THIS IS THE RAZOR P100, AN AUTONOMOUS  HIGH SPEED VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING AIR UTILITY VEHICLE.

FOR THE ACRONYM FANS, IT’S AN H-S-V-TOL A-U-V. 

EQUIPPED WITH MAYMAN’S SKYFIELD AI-CONTROLLED NAVIGATION SYSTEM, THE GOAL IS TO DELIVER COST FRIENDLY, MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES TO THE DOD THAT WILL FIT INTO BATTLE PLANS FOR WHATEVER POTENTIAL CONFLICTS IN WHICH AMERICA MIGHT BECOME INVOLVED. 

[MLADEN ZDERO]

“What sets us apart from all the other drones in industry right now is the fact that we use jet propulsion. And what that allows us to do is fly speeds up to Mach point seven, five or  about 550 miles and hours, which we’re estimating right now. It allows us to carry a significant amount of weight. ”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

RIGHT NOW THAT WEIGHT IS RATED AT A HUNDRED POUNDS, WITH PLANS TO BUILD VARIANTS CAPABLE OF CARRYING 500 TO 1,000 POUNDS, MAKING THE RAZOR AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR LOGISTICS. 

BUT MAYMAN AEROSPACE’S VISION DOESN’T END THERE. THEY SEE A FUTURE WITH RAZORS BUILT FOR THE INTELLIGENCE SET, CAPABLE OF SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE. THERE ARE ALSO PLANS TO MAKE THE RAZOR A  FORCE EXTENDER BY MAKING IT AN AIRBORNE MUNITIONS MULE.

ALREADY UNDER CONTRACT TO THE D-O-D FOR $3.25 MILLION, MLADEN ZDERO, MAYMAN’S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER TOLD US THERE ARE EYES ON THE RAZOR AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE REPLICATOR INITIATIVE. 

[MLADEN ZDERO]

“And that’s exactly what why the government is so interested in this with the ability to have such a highly capable platform at a very low low cost. So if it gets shot down or or for whatever reason crashes on the first mission… the way we’re creating it’s going to be simple to rebuild and resupply these units with this aircraft at a very reasonable price for the government.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

ANOTHER OF THE RAZOR’S MAIN SELLING POINTS, IS THE ABILITY TO TAKE-OFF AND LAND VERTICALLY, MAKING IT RUNWAY INDEPENDENT. IN FACT, ZDERO SAYS SCENARIOS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED ABOUT IT TAKING-OFF FROM THE BED OF A MOVING TRUCK, BEING DROPPED FROM ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, OR EVEN LAUNCHING FROM A PLATFORM AT SEA.