New Delhi: India could soon see electric air ambulances become part of its emergency healthcare system after Chennai-based The ePlane Company and Apollo
Hospitals announced a partnership aimed at reducing delays in critical care. The collaboration was formally announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK on Thursday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Chennai.
The campaign targets one of the largest healthcare challenges faced by India, which is getting seriously injured patients to advanced medical facilities within the “golden hour” after an accident or a medical emergency. Despite the good health care services, the delay of care is largely due to traffic congestion, long distances to care and the lack of access to specialist trauma centres, according to the companies.
Faster emergency response
As part of the partnership, The ePlane Company will operate their e200X electric air ambulances for emergency patient transfers, trauma, cardiac, stroke and organ transports. The company says that the aircraft could transport patients quickly and much cheaper than helicopter services, compared with road ambulances.
The deal also covers ePlane’s subsidiary, Amber Wings’s, medical delivery drones. These drones will be used to bring blood, organs, vaccines, medicines and diagnostic samples between healthcare facilities and cut delivery times from hours to minutes. The services will be part of Apollo Hospitals’ pan-Indian healthcare and ambulance network that has over 1,000 ambulances.
What the partnership means
Once regulatory clearance is granted, the partnership could transform the landscape of emergency medical transportation, especially in urban areas in India where traffic congestion poses a significant hurdle for swift access to advanced hospitals, as well as in remote areas. Electric aircraft are not new, but they have the potential to be more cost-effective, making air ambulance services more practical for broader use.
Apollo Hospitals has also indicated interest in looking into the future purchase of ePlane’s air ambulances and drones. The companies also say the collaboration could result in a strategic investment in ePlane, contingent upon additional agreements and regulatory approvals. Commercial operations will not be allowed until the project gets approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
