Airbus Helicopters and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation have partnered to work together on the development of CityAirbus NextGen missions. This development envisions the use of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in some medical emergencies in Norway.
The use of eVTOL in emergency services can be a sustainable and agile solution, and Airbus and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation will join forces to integrate operational requirements directly into the Airbus eVTOL aircraft configuration.
The project includes the development of a comprehensive roadmap to reduce response time. The aim of this program is to improve patient outcomes and the performance of the Norwegian medical services system. It will also seek to articulate the role of eVTOLs with the emergency service’s existing aircraft, conventional helicopters.
“Airbus’ aeronautical expertise in all fields is an important asset to help us combine different aircraft for medical services. Complementarity is a key factor in this effort: helicopters remain essential for carrying out EMS missions, while eVTOLs can bring additional capabilities to support first responders, for example, transporting medical specialists to the scene of an accident or organs from one medical center to another.” Said Hans-Morten Lossius, Secretary General of Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.
The role of eVTOL in medical emergencies.
This is the first step towards the integration of eVTOL in the medical system. The first step to ensure integration is to evaluate the efficiency of the current emergency medical system in Norway. Once the data is obtained, simulations will be performed by integrating advanced air mobility assets.
Not only the eVTOL operation specifically, but also the whole environment will be studied and projected. The type of infrastructure to be used will be studied, air traffic management will be optimized, and fundamentally, energy supply and distribution.
“The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation has always been at the forefront of medical innovation, most recently with research dedicated to integrating a CT scanner into a five-bladed H145 helicopter. We look forward to working with the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation as a strategic partner to further develop the exact missions where our eVTOL capabilities would help protect citizens and ensure they can access effective healthcare in Norway.” Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, commented.
