The Mobile Vertipad Platform is a new product out of Cherokee Federal that could provide a quickly deployable landing space for vertical take off and landing vehicles in emergency response, combat, or disaster situations. (Photo provided by Cherokee Federal)
- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Native Contracting
A Cherokee Nation-owned company has introduced technology that could change where and how vertical take-off aircraft can operate in remote or emergency situations.
Cherokee Federal, the tribe’s federal contracting arm, unveiled its new Mobile Vertipad Platform — dubbed the MVP — in mid-March at VERTICON, an event showcasing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and related equipment. Chris Moody, vice president at Cherokee Federal, said the patent-pending MVP has garnered widespread interest.
“There’s interest from the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy in different ways and with different criteria,” Moody told Tribal Business News. “We’re also seeing a lot of interest from rural America, whether that’s from individual aircraft owners, tribes, or rural organizations, as well as international interest, where some countries might not have the same infrastructure for landing helicopters as we have here in the U.S.”
The company describes the MVP as the first deploy-on-demand landing technology in the sector, capable of being set up in “minutes” according to a statement. The platform includes both visual and infrared landing lights, and can be transported by truck or sling load to a new location.
Once constructed, the MVP supports up to 30,000 pounds across a 24-foot landing surface. Potential applications include creating landing spots for medical helicopters at rural clinics or supporting emergency and disaster teams in areas without established landing zones.
Cherokee Federal provides a variety of services to the federal government including consulting, facilities management, logistics, manufacturing, technology and mission support. The company works globally on issues in national security and intelligence, information technology, health solutions, Defense Department logistics and humanitarian relief.
The Cherokee Federal Mobile Vertipad Platform, shown in its folded transportation configuration. The compact design allows the 24-foot landing surface to be easily transported by truck to areas lacking proper aircraft landing infrastructure. (Courtesy photo.)
The MVP represents an evolution of Cherokee Federal's original concept, which initially targeted the emerging air mobility market in 2021. When that market developed more slowly than anticipated, the company shifted focus to the VTOL aircraft market, particularly helicopters, which saw significant growth following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global VTOL aircraft market was valued at $5.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow 15.2% annually through 2030, according to a report by research firm Markets and Markets
That growing market pushed Cherokee Federal to continue developing the MVP, Moody said. Cherokee Federal “tweaked” the design to better fit rotorcraft like helicopters, and then began marketing the platform for uses like disaster recovery and border patrol.
"Its mobility and rapid deployment capabilities make it a critical asset for a wide range of industries and applications,” Moody said.
The product will also spark economic opportunity for tribal members. While the MVP was developed and its prototype manufactured in conjunction with an unnamed partner, further manufacturing will occur at Cherokee Federal’s metal plant in Pryor, Okla. That’s going to create jobs, Moody said.
“That’s a driver behind a lot of what we do,” Moody said. “We’ve got a mission to create economic opportunities in the tribe’s 14 counties, and this plays into that mission.”
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