Following a natural disaster, one of the primary obstacles in delivering aid is getting to the actual cities, villages and neighborhoods where victims are. Flooding, typhoons and earthquakes can damage roads and airports, making the transport of vital supplies extremely difficult. But the ESTOLAS (Extremely Short Take Off and Landing On any Surface project) maybe able to change that. Combining the technology of a conventional airplane, helicopter and hovercraft, the ESTOLAS can takeoff and land with almost no runway, similarly to a helicopter. But, unlike helicopter, its fuel capacity can allow it fly longer distances and hold much more supplies. The plane can even generate an air cushion so that it can land on water. According to Mashable, with the support of the European Commission, the research teams behind the project may be able to create four versions of the ESTOLAS by next year …
