Rapid Deployment Snow Vehicle / RDSV
Published on Friday, January 15, 2016 in News & Updates, Snowmobile Tech
Tags: opinion, people, tech

The Rapid Deployment Snow Vehicle / RDSV is a 2 seater high speed vehicle for use in any polar environment. This was strictly a personal project, just for the fun of it said designer Juan Garcia Mansilla.

The current paradigm for snow vehicles states: “Simple Traction at the rear, two skids at the front.” RDSV inverts this paradigm to achieve more traction, improving deep snow performance and displacement in sloped terrain.

It would aptly serve polar exploration, rescue missions, medical emergencies or even sport applications, basically anything that requires high speeds through a polar environment.

RDSV – Story from Juan Garcia Mansilla on Vimeo.

The whole idea started with the traction system, something that could allow high speeds across Antarctica but could also climb up a mountain for an avalanche rescue operation. Then the whole vehicle was built around it.

The Rapid Deployment Snow Vehicle features an adaptive traction system that allows for an effective displacement over both ice/hard snow or deep snow. Each wheel is made up by twelve individual units, each with two different paddles: a small one (for hard surfaces) and a big one (for deep snow). Depending on the terrain, each unit rotates accordingly to expose the desired paddle.

Juan Garcia Mansilla graduated in Industrial Design at the University of Buenos Aires in 2012.

He is a senior designer at BCK, a Global Product Design Firm based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He also teaches Product Graphics at the University of Buenos Aires.

“While my day job involves real world Product Design, in my spare time I explore the realm of plausible fiction that is Concept Design. This is the stuff of the imagination.”

“I like to live on both worlds: The real world, with problem solving, feasibility constraints, end-user needs and real impact on people and business. And then, the world of imagination, where boundaries are just guidelines and there’s no end to what is possible.”

“I’m really passionate about what I do. I’m detail driven and self-demanding, always willing to learn and improve. I’m ready to face my next challenge.”