Apollo Hospitals, The ePlane Company Partner to Explore India's First Electric Air Ambulance Network
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The collaboration will combine The ePlane Company's electric aviation technology with Apollo Hospitals' nationwide healthcare infrastructure to develop an integrated emergency response model.
Apollo Hospitals and The ePlane Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the deployment of electric air ambulances and medical delivery drones as part of India's emergency healthcare ecosystem.
Announced at the Farnborough International Airshow following the signing of the agreement in Chennai, the partnership aims to reduce the time required to transport critically ill patients, donor organs, blood products, medicines, and other essential medical supplies.
The collaboration will combine The ePlane Company's electric aviation technology with Apollo Hospitals' nationwide healthcare infrastructure to develop an integrated emergency response model.
Under the proposed initiative, The ePlane Company's e200X electric air ambulance will be evaluated for inter-hospital patient transfers, trauma response, cardiac and stroke emergencies, and organ transportation. According to the company, the aircraft is designed to offer faster patient transport than conventional road ambulances while operating at a lower cost than helicopters.
The partnership also includes deploying medical delivery drones through The ePlane Company's subsidiary, Amber Wings. These drones are intended to transport blood products, organs, vaccines, medicines, and diagnostic samples between healthcare facilities, enabling faster delivery of time-sensitive medical resources.
The proposed network will leverage Apollo Hospitals' healthcare ecosystem, including its hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, diagnostic centers, and fleet of more than 1,066 ambulances. Apollo Hospitals has also expressed its intention to evaluate the procurement of e200X air ambulances and medical delivery drones as part of the collaboration.
Additionally, the MoU outlines the possibility of a future strategic investment by Apollo Hospitals in The ePlane Company, subject to mutually agreed terms. Both organizations said they will work closely with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other regulatory authorities while assessing the infrastructure required for commercial deployment.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, "India loses far too many lives simply because help cannot arrive in time. This collaboration with The ePlane Company reflects our commitment to bringing Apollo's clinical excellence to every corner of the country, however remote."
Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder and CTO, The ePlane Company, added, "Every minute matters when someone's life is on the line. Working with Apollo Hospitals allows us to explore how our electric aircraft and drones can help close the gap between accident and treatment, especially for the millions of Indians living far from specialised trauma care."
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