The collaboration aims to reduce delays in trauma care by deploying electric air ambulances and medical delivery drones across India.
India loses one person in a road accident every 3.5 minutes, with over 170,000 fatalities reported annually. However, only one in five trauma patients reaches a hospital within the critical “golden hour,” largely due to traffic congestion and geographic barriers.
Strategic Partnership for Faster Emergency Care
To bridge this gap, Ubifly Technologies Private Limited (The ePlane Company) and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate electric air ambulances and medical delivery drones into India’s emergency healthcare system.
The partnership aims to connect patients in urban and remote areas directly to specialised trauma care, reducing delays caused by road traffic and lowering the cost of emergency air transport.
Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said the collaboration reflects Apollo’s commitment to extending quality healthcare to every corner of the country. Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder and CTO of The ePlane Company, added that the partnership would explore how electric aircraft and drones can help save lives by reducing response times.
Focus on the Golden Hour
For trauma, cardiac, and stroke patients, the first hour after an emergency is often the most critical. Yet many patients lose valuable time because they must navigate traffic or undergo multiple transfers before reaching specialised care.
As per the companies’ joint press release, the collaboration seeks to create a faster and more direct pathway from the point of emergency to definitive treatment.
Integrated Emergency Network
The initiative combines The ePlane Company’s aerial mobility solutions with Apollo’s healthcare network.
- Electric air ambulances: The e200X aircraft is designed for trauma response, inter-hospital transfers, cardiac and stroke emergencies, and organ transport. The company says it can operate up to seven times faster than road transport at a lower cost than conventional helicopter transfers.
- Medical delivery drones: Through its subsidiary, Amber Wings, the company will deploy drones to transport blood, organs, vaccines, medicines, and diagnostic samples between healthcare facilities.
- Apollo’s healthcare ecosystem: The network includes 1,066 ambulances, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic centres, helping create a connected emergency response system.
Looking Ahead
Apollo Hospitals has indicated its intent to explore future orders for e200X air ambulances and Amber Wings’ medical delivery drones. The MoU also provides for the possibility of a strategic investment in The ePlane Company, subject to mutually agreed terms.
Both organisations will work with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities to support the regulatory approvals and infrastructure needed to bring these services into operation.