EHang announced to have been selected by Ambular, an International Civil Aviation Organization seeking to develop a flying ambulance for medical emergency use.
Guangzhou, China, August 21, 2020 — EHang is an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) technology platform company. In contrast, Ambular is a consortium of companies working together to develop concepts for an eVTOL aircraft designed primarily for medical emergencies.
The Chinese AAV manufacturer aims to contribute in terms of the hardware required for the project, including motors, rotors, and other such machinery as well as power components for the aircraft.
Furthermore, EHang has previous experience in creating similar prototypes like the EHang 216, a two-seater AAV, used to deliver medicines and medical personnel to a hospital in Hezhou City, China, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Materialized during a general brainstorming session led by engineer Charles Bombardier in 2017, this concept idea came while discussing the future of aviation. The notion of rapidly transporting patients from a medical emergency situation to a medical facility seemed very simple and effective at first. However, as the team dug deeper, they realized that a lot of research was needed to bring such a project to reality.
As of now, the project has already received a lot of support from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and even though it is only centered around innovating the medical aspects of aviation services, the companies also aim to inspire different entities globally to explore the realms of different sectors concerning eVTOL aircrafts.
Interestingly, EHang is the first company in the world to commercialize passenger-grade AAVs, which in many ways achieved a new milestone in the conceptualization and development of Urban Air Mobility (UAM).
Hopefully, the project’s materialization will transform how government agencies around the world handle natural disasters like floods, storms, and earthquakes. Also, firefighting scenarios might find a viable application for such a vehicle. Whether it’s in the forests or in the suburbs or even in a high-rise, rescue operations will become a lot easier if the project sees the light of the day.
As is with all modern innovations, the operational cost and the infrastructure required to design and maintain such projects play a significant role in deciding which parts of the community will have access to such utilities. On the one hand, we have cities with massive traffic and large budgets, and on the other, we have areas with scarce medical facilities in need of support.
Call me a dreamer, but hopefully, when the project is finalized, it will be made equally available to everyone in need. Unfortunately, it’s rarely the case.
