士兵背著噴氣背包從戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上空掠過(guò),,滲透到敵后,,這種場(chǎng)景可能很快會(huì)變成現(xiàn)實(shí)。
美國(guó)軍方的研發(fā)部門已經(jīng)要求各公司提交“便攜式個(gè)人空中機(jī)動(dòng)系統(tǒng)”的創(chuàng)意,,能夠用于軍事任務(wù),、城市作戰(zhàn)、海上作戰(zhàn),、搜救和特殊作戰(zhàn)任務(wù)等,。美國(guó)國(guó)防高級(jí)研究計(jì)劃局(The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,以下簡(jiǎn)稱“DARPA”)表示,,其對(duì)于“了解這項(xiàng)技術(shù)的可行性很感興趣”,,并從3月16日開始將接受各方提案,進(jìn)行為期六個(gè)月的測(cè)試,。
數(shù)十年來(lái),,噴氣背包常常出現(xiàn)在科幻作品當(dāng)中。這并非該部門有意測(cè)試的唯一一款新裝備,。其招標(biāo)文件中還列舉了“動(dòng)力滑翔機(jī),、動(dòng)力翼裝飛行服和動(dòng)力翼傘等”,包括可重復(fù)使用型號(hào)或一次性型號(hào),。
DARPA在聯(lián)邦政府的業(yè)務(wù)采購(gòu)網(wǎng)站上介紹本次招標(biāo)時(shí)稱:“系統(tǒng)能夠空中部署,,以實(shí)現(xiàn)敵占區(qū)[滲透]作戰(zhàn),或者在地面部署以提高野外機(jī)動(dòng)能力,?!?/p>
美國(guó)軍方一直以來(lái)都對(duì)噴氣背包很感興趣,但過(guò)往的嘗試都以失敗告終,。早在1959年,,軍方曾經(jīng)委托航空公司使用火箭背包設(shè)計(jì)一款個(gè)人空中機(jī)動(dòng)系統(tǒng)。隨后在20世紀(jì)60年代,,美國(guó)軍方還進(jìn)行了其他嘗試,,包括一款名為“噴氣腰包”(Jet Belt)的設(shè)備。但這款設(shè)備的原型昂貴笨重,,而且只可以飛行幾分鐘,,因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)技術(shù)的局限性,,最終不了了之。隨后幾十年的研究并沒有取得太大成果,,盡管流行文化讓人們依舊沒有忘記這個(gè)夢(mèng)想,。
但最近,隨著3D打印技術(shù)的發(fā)展以及計(jì)算機(jī)控制的體積更小的燃?xì)鉁u輪機(jī)的出現(xiàn),,提高了噴氣背包及其他類似產(chǎn)品的可行性,。有多家專注于該項(xiàng)技術(shù)的公司表現(xiàn)出了強(qiáng)勁的勢(shì)頭。
例如,,Gravity Industries開發(fā)的一款名為Jet Suit的設(shè)備,,有一個(gè)大型渦輪機(jī),能夠像雙肩包一樣背在身后,,另外兩個(gè)渦輪機(jī)在飛行員的雙手位置附近,。這款設(shè)備可以飛行5分鐘,飛行速度達(dá)到每小時(shí)85英里,。
Jet Suit造價(jià)44萬(wàn)美元,。該公司已經(jīng)在測(cè)試用這款設(shè)備向山頂運(yùn)送醫(yī)務(wù)人員開展緊急救援,或者向航空母艦運(yùn)送人員等應(yīng)用,。與此同時(shí),,美國(guó)特種作戰(zhàn)司令部(U.S. Special Operations Command)和英國(guó)皇家海軍(British Royal Navy)都在對(duì)Jet Suit展開評(píng)估。
Gravity Industries的創(chuàng)始人及首席試飛員理查德·布朗寧表示,,他的公司有意向DARPA提交設(shè)計(jì)方案,。但由于這家公司位于英國(guó),因此它正在核實(shí)其自身是否符合投標(biāo)條件,,因?yàn)槊绹?guó)要求申請(qǐng)者在美國(guó)的業(yè)務(wù)必須達(dá)到一定數(shù)量(Gravity公司也有美國(guó)業(yè)務(wù)),。
雖然Jet Suit能夠裝備武器,但布朗尼表示,,它不會(huì)“像漫威漫畫里那樣”,。相反,這款設(shè)備可以用于拯救生命和提供全新的出行方式,。
布朗寧稱:“它的操作非常簡(jiǎn)單,。人們只要花半個(gè)小時(shí)就能夠?qū)W會(huì),就像騎自行車一樣,?!?/p>
不過(guò)現(xiàn)在還無(wú)法保證噴氣背包可以很快應(yīng)用于戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。DARPA資助了許多從來(lái)沒有廣泛部署的技術(shù),,有些技術(shù)演變成了其他應(yīng)用,。該部門的招標(biāo)文件中特別提到了可能性,稱“可能會(huì)出現(xiàn)各種可以商業(yè)化的非關(guān)鍵性應(yīng)用,,包括城市出行或休閑娛樂(lè)等,?!?/p>
DARPA表示,廠商提交的任何技術(shù)必須能夠支持一名飛行員在中低空高度飛行至少3.1英里,。此外,使用最少的工具裝備設(shè)備的時(shí)間不能超過(guò)10分鐘,。
該部門對(duì)噪音小且不會(huì)過(guò)熱的方案也“特別感興趣”,,可能是為了可以更好地躲過(guò)敵軍的偵查。DARPA指出,,設(shè)備的操作還必須足夠簡(jiǎn)單,,只需要“相對(duì)較少的訓(xùn)練”。
該部門對(duì)設(shè)備動(dòng)力模式的要求較為靈活,。招標(biāo)文件稱,,設(shè)備可以使用“最新的電力推進(jìn)技術(shù)、氫燃料電池或常規(guī)重質(zhì)燃料推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)”,,只要設(shè)備無(wú)需借助風(fēng)力或海拔就能夠起飛即可,。
招標(biāo)在4月20日結(jié)束。中標(biāo)企業(yè)將獲得22,500美元,,用于開展為期六個(gè)月的測(cè)試,,如果進(jìn)入第二階段,企業(yè)將獲得150萬(wàn)美元,。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
士兵背著噴氣背包從戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上空掠過(guò),,滲透到敵后,這種場(chǎng)景可能很快會(huì)變成現(xiàn)實(shí),。
美國(guó)軍方的研發(fā)部門已經(jīng)要求各公司提交“便攜式個(gè)人空中機(jī)動(dòng)系統(tǒng)”的創(chuàng)意,,能夠用于軍事任務(wù)、城市作戰(zhàn),、海上作戰(zhàn),、搜救和特殊作戰(zhàn)任務(wù)等。美國(guó)國(guó)防高級(jí)研究計(jì)劃局(The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,,以下簡(jiǎn)稱“DARPA”)表示,,其對(duì)于“了解這項(xiàng)技術(shù)的可行性很感興趣”,并從3月16日開始將接受各方提案,,進(jìn)行為期六個(gè)月的測(cè)試,。
數(shù)十年來(lái),噴氣背包常常出現(xiàn)在科幻作品當(dāng)中,。這并非該部門有意測(cè)試的唯一一款新裝備,。其招標(biāo)文件中還列舉了“動(dòng)力滑翔機(jī)、動(dòng)力翼裝飛行服和動(dòng)力翼傘等”,,包括可重復(fù)使用型號(hào)或一次性型號(hào),。
DARPA在聯(lián)邦政府的業(yè)務(wù)采購(gòu)網(wǎng)站上介紹本次招標(biāo)時(shí)稱:“系統(tǒng)能夠空中部署,,以實(shí)現(xiàn)敵占區(qū)[滲透]作戰(zhàn),或者在地面部署以提高野外機(jī)動(dòng)能力,?!?/p>
美國(guó)軍方一直以來(lái)都對(duì)噴氣背包很感興趣,但過(guò)往的嘗試都以失敗告終,。早在1959年,,軍方曾經(jīng)委托航空公司使用火箭背包設(shè)計(jì)一款個(gè)人空中機(jī)動(dòng)系統(tǒng)。隨后在20世紀(jì)60年代,,美國(guó)軍方還進(jìn)行了其他嘗試,,包括一款名為“噴氣腰包”(Jet Belt)的設(shè)備。但這款設(shè)備的原型昂貴笨重,,而且只可以飛行幾分鐘,,因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)技術(shù)的局限性,最終不了了之,。隨后幾十年的研究并沒有取得太大成果,,盡管流行文化讓人們依舊沒有忘記這個(gè)夢(mèng)想。
但最近,,隨著3D打印技術(shù)的發(fā)展以及計(jì)算機(jī)控制的體積更小的燃?xì)鉁u輪機(jī)的出現(xiàn),,提高了噴氣背包及其他類似產(chǎn)品的可行性。有多家專注于該項(xiàng)技術(shù)的公司表現(xiàn)出了強(qiáng)勁的勢(shì)頭,。
例如,,Gravity Industries開發(fā)的一款名為Jet Suit的設(shè)備,有一個(gè)大型渦輪機(jī),,能夠像雙肩包一樣背在身后,,另外兩個(gè)渦輪機(jī)在飛行員的雙手位置附近。這款設(shè)備可以飛行5分鐘,,飛行速度達(dá)到每小時(shí)85英里,。
Jet Suit造價(jià)44萬(wàn)美元。該公司已經(jīng)在測(cè)試用這款設(shè)備向山頂運(yùn)送醫(yī)務(wù)人員開展緊急救援,,或者向航空母艦運(yùn)送人員等應(yīng)用,。與此同時(shí),美國(guó)特種作戰(zhàn)司令部(U.S. Special Operations Command)和英國(guó)皇家海軍(British Royal Navy)都在對(duì)Jet Suit展開評(píng)估,。
Gravity Industries的創(chuàng)始人及首席試飛員理查德·布朗寧表示,,他的公司有意向DARPA提交設(shè)計(jì)方案。但由于這家公司位于英國(guó),,因此它正在核實(shí)其自身是否符合投標(biāo)條件,,因?yàn)槊绹?guó)要求申請(qǐng)者在美國(guó)的業(yè)務(wù)必須達(dá)到一定數(shù)量(Gravity公司也有美國(guó)業(yè)務(wù))。
雖然Jet Suit能夠裝備武器,但布朗尼表示,,它不會(huì)“像漫威漫畫里那樣”,。相反,這款設(shè)備可以用于拯救生命和提供全新的出行方式,。
布朗寧稱:“它的操作非常簡(jiǎn)單,。人們只要花半個(gè)小時(shí)就能夠?qū)W會(huì),就像騎自行車一樣,?!?/p>
不過(guò)現(xiàn)在還無(wú)法保證噴氣背包可以很快應(yīng)用于戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。DARPA資助了許多從來(lái)沒有廣泛部署的技術(shù),,有些技術(shù)演變成了其他應(yīng)用。該部門的招標(biāo)文件中特別提到了可能性,,稱“可能會(huì)出現(xiàn)各種可以商業(yè)化的非關(guān)鍵性應(yīng)用,,包括城市出行或休閑娛樂(lè)等?!?/p>
DARPA表示,,廠商提交的任何技術(shù)必須能夠支持一名飛行員在中低空高度飛行至少3.1英里。此外,,使用最少的工具裝備設(shè)備的時(shí)間不能超過(guò)10分鐘,。
該部門對(duì)噪音小且不會(huì)過(guò)熱的方案也“特別感興趣”,可能是為了可以更好地躲過(guò)敵軍的偵查,。DARPA指出,,設(shè)備的操作還必須足夠簡(jiǎn)單,只需要“相對(duì)較少的訓(xùn)練”,。
該部門對(duì)設(shè)備動(dòng)力模式的要求較為靈活,。招標(biāo)文件稱,設(shè)備可以使用“最新的電力推進(jìn)技術(shù),、氫燃料電池或常規(guī)重質(zhì)燃料推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)”,,只要設(shè)備無(wú)需借助風(fēng)力或海拔就能夠起飛即可。
招標(biāo)在4月20日結(jié)束,。中標(biāo)企業(yè)將獲得22,500美元,,用于開展為期六個(gè)月的測(cè)試,如果進(jìn)入第二階段,,企業(yè)將獲得150萬(wàn)美元,。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Soldiers using jetpacks to buzz above battlefields and slip behind enemy lines may soon be a reality.
The military’s research and development arm has asked companies to submit ideas for a “portable personal air mobility system” that could be used in military missions, urban combat, maritime operations, search and rescue, and special operations. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, said it’s “interested in understanding the feasibility” of the technology and, as of March 16, is accepting proposals for a six-month trial.
Jetpacks, which have played a starring role in science fiction for decades, aren’t the only thing the agency is interested in testing. Its bid also lists “powered gliders, powered wingsuits, and powered parafoils,” either reusable versions or for one-time use.
“Systems may be air deployed to allow for [infiltration] to hostile territory, or ground deployed to allow for greater off-road mobility,” DARPA wrote in introducing the proposal on the federal government’s business contracting website.
The military has long been interested in jetpacks. But its past attempts have crashed and burned. As early as 1959, the military tapped aviation companies to create a personal air mobility system using rocket packs. Other efforts followed in the 1960s, including a version called the “Jet Belt.” But the prototypes—expensive, clunky, and able to fly for only a few minutes—ended up being limited by the era’s technology. Efforts in subsequent decades didn’t do much better, even while popular culture kept the dream alive.
More recently, however, with advancements in 3-D printing and smaller, computer-controlled gas turbines, jetpacks and its close cousins are now more feasible. And the handful of startups focused on the technology have gained considerable momentum.
Gravity Industries, for example, has created a device called the Jet Suit, which has one large turbine worn like a backpack and two additional ones located near each of the pilot’s hands. The device can fly someone up to 85 miles per hour for up to five minutes.
The company has already used the Jet Suit, which costs $440,000, in a trial to shuttle paramedics up a mountain for emergencies and to taxi people onto an aircraft carrier. Meanwhile, the U.S. Special Operations Command is evaluating the Jet Suit as is the British Royal Navy.
Richard Browning, the founder and chief test pilot of Gravity Industries, said his company is interested in submitting a proposal to DARPA. But because the company is U.K.-based, it’s checking whether it meets the requirement that applicants have a certain amount of U.S. business (Gravity has a U.S. presence).
While weapons could be added to a Jet Suit, it doesn’t have to be "like something out of a Marvel comic," according to Browning. Rather, the suit could be used to help save lives and create new ways of getting around.
“It is really easy,” Browning said. “People can learn to do this in half an hour, like a bicycle."
There is no guarantee that soldiers will be using jetpacks in combat anytime soon. DARPA funds many technologies that are never widely deployed or that morph into something else. Its request for proposals specifically calls out that possibility, saying that “a wide variety of less critical use cases may emerge for commercialization including urban mobility or recreation.”
DARPA said any technology submitted must be able to fly a single operator at least 3.1 miles at low-to-medium altitudes. Additionally, its setup should take no more than 10 minutes, with only minimal tools.
Any proposal that is quiet and doesn’t heat up too much is also of “particular interest,” presumably to better evade detection by enemies. It also must be simple enough to operate with “relatively little training,” DARPA said.
The agency is flexible when it comes to how the device is powered. The bid says that it could use “emerging electric propulsion technologies, hydrogen fuel cells or conventional heavy fuel propulsion systems,” as long as it can take off from anywhere without the help of wind or elevation.
The window for proposals closes April 20. Any winner will be paid $22,500 for the six-month trial, which could be extended to a second phase that pays $1.5 million.