WELL, THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU KNOW: The Air Force Wants to Use Air Taxis to Rescue Troops.

The U.S. Air Force wants a drone that can fly out the back of an air transport, land, pick up a soldier, airman, or Marine trapped behind enemy lines, and whisk them to safety. The Personnel Recovery/Transport Vehicle would leverage technology being developed to support the emerging air taxi industry to develop a new, autonomous, search and rescue vehicle.

The concept would work like this: a U.S. military pilot is shot down and lands in enemy territory. A C-130J Hercules transport is quickly loaded with a Personnel Recovery/Transport Vehicle, and the Hercules flies to the vicinity of the pilot’s location. The PR/TV is rolled out the back of the aircraft ramp, and with the help of parachutes the autonomous vehicle slows its descent and then begins operating under its own power. The PR/TV flies to the pilot’s location, the pilot gets inside, and the PR/TV flies back toward friendly lines.

Nifty.