Roadable Aircraft International, a division of Mundus Group, Inc., is an advanced transportation and aerospace technology consortium turning environmental transportation challenges into business opportunities. Our company's concept of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle has long been under research and development. In 2002, Roadable Aircraft International (RAI) co-developed and patented with the US NAVY advanced aerospace technology for the UAV VTOL unmanned vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.
 
 
Prior to introducing the world to the first prototype in 1993, RAI had been working on the innovative technology for building VTOL vehicles that would fly in the air like a helicopter but without any exposed propellers. RAI's first prototype VTOL won the distinct award of “Best Invention” of the year at the Discovery Channel Invention Convention in San Francisco and also at the Pasadena New Invention award show. RAI holds patents for the counter rotating ducted fan flying vehicle; the patented design allows the VTOL vehicles to ascend vertically into the air, land on any road or small space such as a helipad or roof, park in a garage, and avoid hangar fees and all the inconveniences of an airport.
 

 
Since 1993 RAI's team of engineers have designed and produced two prototypes, the second of which has proven to be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.
RAI in joint development with CALSTART has completed a 3 year Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) with the US NAVY for VTOL vehicles whereby they provided a hangar shop, office space, service of their patent attorneys, and involvement in flight testing. RAI also partnered with California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo .
¾ scale UAV (unmanned vertical takeoff) vehicle tethered test flights have been conducted at the US NAVAL Air Warfare Weapons Research Operations Headquarters in Point Mugu, California to develop the flight control systems and computer assisted auto-flight and stabilizer for the flying mode. In addition, a TWO-Passenger ”Zephyr” vehicle has been designed to drive on land as well as fly in the air. It is currently being used as a test vehicle at CALSTART.
 

Plans are underway for a third prototype. The vehicles are being designed to look and drive like cars as well as fly like helicopters. The designs of the prototypes call for speed, convenience, and relatively inexpensive operation and maintenance.
RAI's goal is to develop and market a commercially successful vertical takeoff and landing flying vehicle.

 
Points of Interest:
VTOL is Vertical TakeOff and Landing We are 14 years and 2 prototypes into making history and producing the first VTOL.
We are in the race of the century with a few competitors from the US and around the world. There are only a few that are serious contenders with more than a design and concept, and fewer have prototypes, test data, a track record, a clear vision and a CRADA agreement with the US NAVY. RAI has invented and patented a VTOL vehicle that takes off & lands like a helicopter, and can fly and land within close proximity to people and buildings where no helicopter can go, creating a new niche in inner space transportation capabilities.
 
  • Our VTOL aerospace technology is patented & protected under the US NAVY Office of Technology Transfer.
  • Our VTOL UAV (Unmanned Remote Controlled Air Vehicle) is under study by US NAVY and Department of Defense with a proposal for deployment in Trident submarine missile silos.
  • Our VTOL urgent response vehicles are designed to takeoff and land within close proximity to people and property in emergency rescue or police response.
  • RAI's inventor was among the 200 top scientists in the U.S.A. invited to the anti- terrorism conference, “Scientists Helping America”, where he delivered proposals at the request of the Department Of Defense.
We completed a three-year (extendable to six) CRADA agreement with the US NAVY to develop and test our VTOL vehicle.
The Navy has provided RAI with a facility at their most prestigious and secretive research and development site, paid for all legal costs and patent protection which they will have rights to specific military applications, for the VTOL technology we jointly develop. RAI will have first right to the contracts to build those military and emergency response vehicles for the military and retains full patents for all other non-military uses, civil and government applications including the Coast Guard as well as the numerous regional and municipal police, fire and rescue units around the world.
 
We are the only civilian company that had a facility at NAWCWD Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, the US NAVY secret research and development facility at Point Mugu , California.
RAI has the worldwide rights to the patented VTOL vehicles sold in the private sector including sales of exclusive distributorships, territories, and certified RAI kit assembly support and technician training schools.
 
RAI has all rights to software programs written for computer assisted auto-flight technology that could revolutionize inner space transportation around the world.
RAI's first prototype won First Place for “Best Invention” at the Discovery Channel Invention Convention in San Francisco in 1993.
We have built a ¾ scale model (6.5ft.) to develop and test the control systems for our full scale vehicles which also became the test bed for RAI's VTOL UAV Terminator and ORCAS or Orchestrated Remote Controlled Assault / Surveillance.
The two vehicles we are currently building are refinements and reflect the evolution of previously tested RAI prototypes. We have proven what we are building in our first two prototypes. Prototype 3 has been completely engineered and designed in Solid Works, every tolerance, every thread, every dimension in 3D, while titanium and composite parts are being assembled. We're not re-inventing the wheel. We are teaching it to fly