Traversing the vast and varied landscapes of Siberia has always been a challenge. From the deep snow to the naked ice to the expanses of water and marshes, no one vehicle could cover them all until the A-3 Aerosledge. The A-3 was created to navigate all of these environments with ease. Designed in the post-WWII USSR by famed aeronautics engineer Andrei Tupolev, the vehicle was a propellor-driven amphibious sled that allowed access to even the most hostile, otherwise-unreachable areas.

Tupolev’s main directive was to design a vehicle that would be able to deliver mail and medical supplies to remote communities or to transport passengers to the nearest medical facility. The craft was small and light enough that it could be transported via helicopter to wherever it was needed.

The A-3 looked like a futuristic speedboat complete with gullwing doors. Its body was incredibly lightweight and watertight, featuring three separate watertight compartments that allowed the craft to stay afloat even if one of the chambers became flooded. A slightly upturned bow and clever design meant that as the A-3’s speed increased, it would slightly hover above snow or water. This was a particularly helpful feature when it came to zipping around on light, fluffy snow that would have slowed down any other power sled.

Inside, the passenger compartment could carry up to a maximum of 1,443 pounds over ice and 661 pounds traveling over water. There was enough room for a driver and plenty of cargo, or a driver and four passengers when additional seating was installed.

Only around 800 A-3 Powersledges were ever manufactured, with production ceasing in the early 1980s. Only one – a 1978 model – was known to have made it to the US, after the new owner found it in Russia and had it restored to pristine working condition with the help of experts from around the world. It was sold at auction in 2007 for $187,000 and again in January 2015 for $220,000.

The post 1960s Soviet Super-Sled Glided Over Snow, Ice + Water first appeared on Gajitz.

When it comes to mind-blowing vehicles, the military (and military-funded development) seems to be at the top of the field. This hulking beast is half truck, half helicopter, and it’s meant to give the military an upper hand in hostile environments. The Black Knight Transformer from aerospace company Advanced Tactics, Inc. is able to fly like a helicopter, drive like a truck, and – with a little tinkering – navigate water like a boat. In the video below, the Black Knight Transformer goes on its first test flight. It only hovers 10 feet above the ground for a short time, but in the field it will be able to fly quite a bit higher while carrying payloads of up to 4000 pounds.

The UAV turns into a heavy-duty truck when on the ground; its propellers fold up and the truck can handle rough terrain. The vehicle is modular and scalable to make it useful in a large variety of situations. The drive train is removable so that the Transformer can be fitted with a boat hull, making into a tough amphibious vehicle. The autonomous transport machine will be able to go into dangerous and remote locations to deliver supplies or recover injured soldiers. And, let’s be honest – a boat/truck/helicopter is just really freaking cool.

The post Triple Threat: Military UAV is Helicopter, Truck + Boat first appeared on Gajitz.