Looking Ahead to 2023
his past year has been an exciting one for Vita Aerospace. We’ve seen our Vita Rescue System (VRS) deployed fleet-wide by the United Arab Emirates National Search and Rescue Center. We’ve also seen the VRS pass the U.S. Army’s first set of exacting test requirements, leading to the acquisition of several Vita Rescue Systems that will be further tested throughout 2023 in real-world rescue scenarios. Vita’s CEO, Caleb Carr, also personally delivered a VRS to war-torn Ukraine, which led to a request from the State Emergency Services of Ukraine for additional Vita Rescue Systems to aid in the fight. We’re very enthusiastic about what we were able to accomplish this past year, and we’ve got an exciting 2023 planned. Here’s looking ahead to some of our most anticipated developments.
Military Search and Rescue Progress in 2022
One of the most important missions we accomplished in 2022 was completing our first round of tests with the U.S. Army and the United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL). This means the VRS has the green light to move forward with the first set of user evaluations in real-world scenarios. USAARL has led the way with extensive testing of the VRS, which has proven the robustness and reliability of the system. The VRS is set to be further tested from January through March 2023, and these operations will provide valuable user feedback from those operating in the field. We’re excited about this opportunity to get the system into the hands of the soldiers for this next set of operational evaluations.
These are promising developments considering that other military branches, including the Coast Guard and Air National Guard, are using the Army’s environmental testing results when evaluating the VRS for their rescue needs. Vita has also completed the first round of flight testing with an Air National Guard unit based in Alaska. The VRS was put through its paces in a series of extreme environments. This included snow, cold temperatures, and aquatic rescue to prove its effectiveness in these conditions. Moreover, Vita is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct a series of baseline tests for maritime rescue operations.
Where the National Guard is concerned, this testing opens up the possibility of putting the system in front of foreign military units from around the world due to the State Partnership Program (SPP). The SPP partners each state's National Guard division with differing countries where military tactics, procedures, and equipment are shared and discussed. More and more countries will likely see the value of the VRS as it begins to make the rounds with our domestic military and National Guard branches.
Upcoming Trade Shows and Conferences in 2023
As with the past year, 2023 will see Vita attending numerous trade shows, conventions, and expos worldwide. First will be HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta, which runs from March 6th through the 9th. HAI is an industry-leading helicopter trade show featuring 14,000 industry professionals and over 600 exhibitors. Vita will be in attendance with live demonstrations of the Vita Rescue System. This will be a perfect opportunity for private helicopter firms and non-military entities to get a glimpse of the system at work. Having already delivered one system to a private Search and Rescue operator in the western U.S., we expect others to follow suit. Immediately following HAI will be Quad A or the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual summit. Quad A will be held in Nashville from April 26th through the 28th. This gathering includes the entire Army aviation community and features over 360 exhibitors from more than 35 countries. Vita will be conducting live demonstrations at this event as well.
This will take Vita Aerospace right into the summer and fall, with showings at APSCON in July, NGAUS in August, and AUSA in October. All of these shows will put the VRS in front of both civilian and military rescue operators to get up close and personal with the system and see why it may just be the most significant innovation on the market for Search and Rescue missions. We’re eager to put the VRS on display for those that will need it most and best understand the benefits of faster and safer helicopter hoist rescue. We’ll also be attending the HHO symposium in Germany, where we made a lasting impression on DRF Luftrettung in 2022. DRF Luftrettung provides emergency medical services in and around Germany, in addition to several neighboring countries.
Looking Forward to a Bright 2023
Vita's reach is rapidly expanding, and we are striving to make the Vita Rescue System an integral piece of equipment for helicopter hoist rescues. By increasing the safety and efficiency of every rescue mission, we’re excited to see the operational envelope expand for hoist operations. Vita was founded with the mission to build technology that brings people home safely, every time. Even though we’ve achieved much in the past year, we’re pleased to be fielding additional units to increase the use of this revolutionary technology for Search and Rescue operations.
