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URBANPORT, Cherokee Federal, and Sunbelt Rentals Execute First Mobile Vertipad Platform™ Landing in North Carolina, Marking a Disaster Response Milestone

  • Writer: Blair Smith
    Blair Smith
  • Nov 17
  • 3 min read

October 31, 2025


Statesville, NC — Just one year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina claiming over 250 lives and crippling local infrastructure; a bold, mission-ready innovation has taken flight.
Statesville, NC — Just one year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina claiming over 250 lives and crippling local infrastructure; a bold, mission-ready innovation has taken flight.

URBANPORT, in collaboration with Cherokee Federal and Sunbelt Rentals, successfully executed North Carolina’s first helicopter landing on Cherokee Federal's new Mobile Vertipad Platform™ (MVP™) product. The historic landing, part of non-profit Operation Helo’s humanitarian readiness drill, took place on October 8, on the grassy fields of G.L. Wilson Building Company, just 48 miles north of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Statesville, NC. This marks the product’s first-ever simulated deployment outside of Oklahoma which lays the groundwork for the future of disaster logistics, emergency mobility, and humanitarian air operations across the U.S.


“This is a new chapter in disaster response,” said Meghan Beach, CEO of URBANPORT. “We now have a sustainable, off-grid option to utilize – one that’s mobile, modular, and mission-ready.”

The MVP™, owned and engineered by Cherokee Federal and manufactured in Northeast Oklahoma inside the Cherokee Nation Reservation, is a 24-foot octagonal, self-leveling landing platform designed for rapid deployment. Capable of supporting up to 30,000 pounds, the MVP™ can be operational in under five minutes without the need for shore or grid power, making it a critical asset for responding at the demanding speed of emergency response, defense, and medical airlift missions.


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Justin Vandy, Cherokee Federal’s manager of new product development, showcased not only the MVP™, but also its companion product, the MC2™ (Mobile Command Center™), a tactical unit capable of acting as a mobile air traffic control for field operations.


“The MVP™ is a game-changing, transformational solution that eliminates traditional landing constraints, ensuring safe, stable, and efficient operations in any environment,” said Vandy. “Potential scenarios for application of this product are limitless, and we continue to see tremendous interest in our American-made product designed to address our toughest missions at home and abroad.”

Pilot Eric Robinson, founder of non-profit Operation Helo, praised the platform after landing a Robinson helicopter on the MVP ™.

“The LED lighting and bold surface markings made the landing zone easy to identify from the air. Even on uneven terrain, the self-leveling tech made touchdown smooth and safe.”

URBANPORT’s Chief Innovation Officer Kara Johnson emphasized future readiness:

“Our patented tech will enable eVTOLs (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft) to land, charge, and relaunch - all without needing a grid connection. Combined with the MVP™, agnostic charging with universal ports will enable flexible, off-grid power with safe takeoff/landing in any disaster zone.”

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Sunbelt Rental’s extensive nationwide rental network pushes the easy button for renting the MVP™ and MC2™, making vertiport infrastructure financially feasible in commercial and private applications.


Mobile Vertipad Platform™ enroute to Statesville, NC for first ever landing of its kind.
Mobile Vertipad Platform™ enroute to Statesville, NC for first ever landing of its kind.

About URBANPORT

URBANPORT is the US patent holder of advanced aviation infrastructure mobile charging. 100% women owned, SBA, North Carolina HUB and SBE, SAM.gov certified. Redefining aviation infrastructure, contact URBANPORT for aviation technical consulting, capital projects, procurement and product management. LinkedIn            

About Cherokee Federal

Cherokee Federal is the federal contracting division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, the economic engine of Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the U.S. The mission of Cherokee Federal is to build a talented team that provides innovative solutions that solve America’s greatest challenges and serves the Cherokee Nation with compassion and heart. For more information, please visit cherokee-federal.com or follow Cherokee Federal on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube.


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