The drone ambulance can ‘land on a dime, anywhere’

"Because they're manned, and because it's dangerous for the crews on board as they can be under fire or unable to negotiate the obstructive terrain, we created a drone the size of a truck that can land on a dime anywhere to bring supplies and rescue capabilities."

He compared AirMule, which should be ready by the end of the decade, to Israel's Iron Dome missile-defence system in terms of putting a fantastical idea into practice, but said that the invention addressed a "universal problem.

"It's not just Israel or the IDF; the whole world needs this capability, as everyone has the same problem of helicopters not being able to land in the battlefield or get close enough to where they are needed to deliver supplies and take the wounded."

And although he said he and his colleagues were "of course, pleased" with their work so far, he emphasised that there was still "a long road ahead - and we're not sitting still".