Russian scientists are preparing for a breakthrough in creating a new manned aircraft capable of liftoff without land infrastructure, Boris Satovsky, the chief of Russia’s Foundation for Advanced Research (FPI), told Sputnik in an interview.

“Birds do not need airports and runways. That is why, the real breakthrough will take place when an aircraft capable of transporting people and medium cargo without using land infrastructure is created. I can say that Russian scientists are preparing such a breakthrough,” Satovsky said.

On May 17, Russia’s PromServis company won a design contest involving so-called “flying off-road vehicles,” which are aircraft capable of vertical or ultra-short take-off and landing.

“We intend to create a technologically new machine, not on convertiplane basis, which is essential for the development of remote areas of Siberia, the Far East, the Far North and the Arctic region, places where there are no roads and where it is expensive and difficult to build traditional airports,” Satovsky added.

According to Satovsky, the new aircraft is essential for Russia’s state interests and make Russians more connected and mobile.