Celebrating 100 - Our Journey To Success
wo young men, a garage, and a big vision - sounds like the ingredients for one of those rare success stories, doesn’t it? And what do they all have in common? That their founders had the tenacity and perseverance to bring the unimaginable to life. But these aren’t just stories we read about, this is the story of Vita Inclinata Technologies, brought to life by its CEO Caleb Carr and CTO Derek Sikora, who turned their dream of making rescue operations safer, into a reality.
Fast forward, and today our 100th unit just shipped, an exciting milestone for Vita. The fact that our Vita Rescue System (VRS) and Vita Load Navigator (VLN) technologies are consistently improving global safety ecosystems fills us with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. It also brings back memories of our humble beginnings and how far we've come. We spoke to some of our team members in engineering and production, ones who have been with us since the beginning, taking prototypes to reality, and this is what they had to say.
“The pre-VLN prototypes required the user to manually enter the load specs for the system to operate properly. We would be out there asking the crane operator for the size and weight of every single pick. This led to the development of the “agnostic controller” change, enabling the VLN to detect load specifications automatically. Creating a system agnostic of load size, weight, altitude, and wind conditions.”
-Preston FitzRandolph, Aerospace Engineer II
Our teams have made significant progress in developing the current products, but it wasn't an easy journey. The engineering team faced its first challenge when they discovered that the VRS required a controller that could function independently of cable length. Meanwhile, the production team's biggest technical obstacle was ensuring that the VRS was waterproof for those maritime rescues.
The collaboration between our teams ensured the success of our products and is propelling us into an exciting future. Celebrating the deployment of our 100th unit wasn't an achievement that happened in isolation.
"It was the result of close collaboration between our Production and Engineering teams. By working hand in hand, we've been able to develop a system that not only meets our production needs but also delivers a more robust and reliable product for our customers. The path to creating something new is rarely smooth; it's often fraught with challenges, setbacks, and unexpected obstacles. However, these stumbling blocks are not roadblocks but rather stepping stones towards success." -Jacob Graver, Production Supervisor
“Avoid analysis paralysis. Do enough analysis until you start to see diminishing returns in effort vs information gathered. Find the inflection point of when it is more cost-effective to build and test. Test results always beat analysis.” -Jonathan Oster, Senior Mechanical Engineer
Zachary, Jacob, Preston, and Jonathan, look back with pride on their journey.
"It's truly amazing how much progress we've made in such a short time. No one had ever created an electro-mechanical system like this before. We started with countless ideas and ended up with a very practical product that's actually making a difference out there." - Zachary Newell, Senior Mechanical Engineer
“The first time I witnessed the VRS in action was truly memorable. While we conduct numerous rounds of testing during production, seeing it during a live demonstration is particularly rewarding. It demonstrates what the system that we build is truly capable of.” -Jacob Graver, Production Supervisor.
“It’s gratifying whenever I see footage of the system operating in high wind conditions while maintaining position hold.”-Preston FitzRandolph, Aerospace Engineer II
“It is extremely satisfying to see the VRS pass our environmental tests, knowing that it is built to meet the demands of rescue operators when they need it to perform.”-Jonathan Oster, Senior Mechanical Engineer
Designing and developing products that have the potential to bring our dreams to life is one thing. However, navigating the dynamic landscape of market demands and customer preferences requires agility and foresight. Our commitment to creating adaptable and expandable products has enabled us to seamlessly respond to evolving customer needs. We take pride in our extraordinary ability to pivot swiftly and effectively whenever a new demand emerges, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of innovation and customer satisfaction.
“Market fit over everything. Be ready to change quickly and rapidly to ensure that your product meets the market’s demand.” -Jonathan Oster, Senior Mechanical Engineer
We take pride in our in-house production facility where we ensure that our products meet the highest standards from start to finish.
It is truly a moment of great satisfaction to know that 100 units of our products are actively making a positive difference in helicopter hoists and industrial lifting operations every day. Since the inception of our systems, our primary mission has been to bring people home safely every time, and we are beyond proud to see our mission turn into a reality. As a team, we can confidently say that we are making a meaningful impact, and we will continue to strive towards excellence.
