Rafi Yoeli

In 2000, Dr. Rafi Yoeli established Urban Aeronautics Ltd in order to pursue the dream of developing the world’s first high performance, internal-rotor aircraft. The result is a family of revolutionary, VTOL aircraft known as ‘Fancraft’. These include the company’s X-Hawk and its flagship product, AirMule which is currently in flight testing. Prior to establishing Urban Aeronautics, Dr. Yoeli spent the early years of his career with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Boeing Aircraft Company in Seattle. At IAI he was part of a preliminary design team responsible, among other projects, for the Lavi fighter aircraft and the Westwind 1124 and 1125 business jets as well as the world’s first UAV, the Scout. Dr. Yoeli left IAI to establish his first company, Aero-Design & Development (AD&D) which he ran for 15 years and sold to Elbit Systems in 2002. AD&D was an advanced, rapid prototyping company known for its ability to develop innovative products in response to cutting edge technical challenges. AD&D’s accomplishments included advanced modifications for helicopters and fighter aircraft, the Stingray unmanned surface vessel, a solar powered, high altitude aircraft, advanced flight control computers and software, one of the earliest modifications of a helicopter to unmanned and the Hummingbird flying platform. AD&D’s ‘Skylark’, now produced by Elbit, remains at the top of its class in the mini-UAV market. Dr. Yoeli is a licensed pilot for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and holds a B.Sc. In aeronautical engineering from Tel Aviv University, an M.Sc. in aeronautical engineering and a P.hD. in Artificial Intelligence both from the Technion Institute of Technology.