New Hampshire is falling farther behind on electric vehicles and can’t do anything new with passenger trains and has a so-so-at-best intercity bus system – but hey, let’s talk about cargo-carrying VTOL drones, autonomous to some extent. (Definitely not helicopters).
That’s the news in a Union-Leader story today, which begins:
City officials are seeking permission from aldermen to pursue a grant to assist with developing a vertiport in Manchester for high-speed, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
A vertiport is considered a key component of Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute’s (ARMI’s) efforts to establish a new manufacturing industry for tissue-engineered medical products in the Queen City, according to inventor Dean Kamen.
At least it makes more sense than Musk’s underground automated-car tunnels (don’t call it an inefficient subway, please).
You can read the whole article here.
Union leader has a pay wall so I’m not sure if it’s covered but what about ARMI absolutely requires a vertiport that cant be serviced by the already existing airport?
They should be focusing their money on improving the city to make it actually attractive to STEM workers who are required to make this all work. If that all pans out then maybe think about getting a landing pad for whatever new toy that Kamen is flying around.
Quick, cheap(ish) delivery of items to and from places like Boston, where other labs/companies exist, seems to be the big pitch – that could include organs/tissues, which are time-sensitive.
First of all, it’s Kamen who is doing the match for the grant not the State or City. The only large company/employer that hasn’t bailed from the Mills is Deka and their affiliates.
So if he wants to invest his money to develop a Vertiport to service his companies so be it.
He is also one of the top philanthropist in the state.