Air Force in Pursuit of High Speed Hovercraft.

* A new challenge sponsored by the Air Force's innovation incubator, AFWERX, aims to help the service and Special Operations Command find and develop a hovercraft.

The High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing, or HSV-TOL, Concept Challenge imagines an aircraft that can take off from any location and operate at speeds comparable to much larger platforms.

The aircraft will need to maximize speed, range, survivability, payload, size and flexibility. The Air Force could use it for various applications. It has the potential to revolutionize special ops, personnel recovery, aeromedical evacuation and tactical mobility, according to AFWERX.

California-based JetPack Aviation is one of 35 winners of the challenge, said CEO David Mayman.The company's offering, the VTOL Speeder, can approach speeds approaching 300 mph when operated in unmanned mode, Mayman said.

The platform is designed like a flying bike, which can be operated manually, remotely or fully remotely-controlled with no rider to reach top speeds.

Because of its envisioned speed and lift capabilities, the HS-VTOL will be able to deliver cargo in environments where a slower-moving helicopter could be a target for enemy defenses, he noted.

"It could be used for very rapid delivery of...