# This concept of a drone ambulance promises to revolutionise emergency operations



## Jarnhamar (5 Jun 2020)

In the upcoming videogame Cyberpunk 2077 there's a gameplay trailer where an injured womans monitored vital signs sets off a alarm and V/STOL drone looking ambulance with tactical medic team is dispatched to pick her up. Science fiction and the article is 5 years old but maybe this is something we'll see in the near future?


*This concept of a drone ambulance promises to revolutionise emergency operations*
_A design firm from Austin, Texas, has designed a drone ambulance that promises to speed up emergency support in rural areas and provide quick treatment for major traffic accidents._







https://www.businessinsider.com/drone-ambulance-concept-with-amazing-images-2015-2


Not as cool as infantry soldiers flying over hard-to-pass terrain with jetpacks but could be a life saver with urban sprawl and traffic.


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## lenaitch (9 Jun 2020)

Until their private insurance coverage denies the claim.


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## mariomike (9 Jun 2020)

Jarnhamar said:
			
		

> *This concept of a drone ambulance promises to revolutionise emergency operations*
> _A design firm from Austin, Texas, has designed a drone ambulance that promises to speed up emergency support in rural areas and provide quick treatment for major traffic accidents._



I got scolded for referring to it as a "drone".  



			
				mariomike said:
			
		

> Urban ( non-military ) use of drones in severe traffic congestion.
> 
> Video:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxXjlxR7fhE





			
				Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> If a aerospace vehicle has a pilot, it is not a drone.  Drone's are pre-programmed before launch, fly a pre-programmed flight profile, with no pilot interaction.  If is has a pilot, or requires a pilot, it is a RPA/UAS/UAV/etc, but not a drone.  Pretty simple concept, if you don't disregard reality.


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## Jarnhamar (9 Jun 2020)

Looks like a drone to me


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## blacktriangle (10 Jun 2020)

Jarnhamar said:
			
		

> Not as cool as infantry soldiers flying over hard-to-pass terrain with jetpacks



Maybe not Heinlein, but you might find hybrid UAS/UGV concepts interesting.


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## dimsum (10 Jun 2020)

> The drone is also very small: it is the size of a compact car, meaning that it would be able to land on a street, while helicopters still need a lot of preparation on the ground before they can land.



That is from the article.  I'm not a fling-wing guy but wouldn't that aircraft have the same preparation requirements as helicopters?


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## mariomike (10 Jun 2020)

Dimsum said:
			
		

> That is from the article.  I'm not a fling-wing guy but wouldn't that aircraft have the same preparation requirements as helicopters?



Calling in an ambulance helicopter ( ie: ORNGE ) is a "big deal".



> The paramedic shall:
> 1. assess the scene response to meet one or more of the following operational criteria:
> a. The land ambulance is estimated to require more than 30 minutes to reach the scene and the air ambulance can reach the scene quicker.
> b. The land ambulance is estimated to require more than 30 minutes to travel from the scene to the closest appropriate hospital* and the air ambulance helicopter can reach the scene and transport the patient to the closest appropriate hospital* quicker than the land ambulance.
> ...


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## Good2Golf (10 Jun 2020)

Circumferentially-faired rotors/fans would make it a fair bit easier to get into tight spaces than standard EMS choppers. Airflow and debris would still be a factor, but as counter-gravitational propulsion comes into play in years to come, the parasitical effects of unintended lift force against debris, spectators and other objects in the immediate area around the incident PZ would be reduced.

Additionally, you could missionize the drone with plug-in service modules, and make it multi-role, so pizza delivery with a FoodSafeTM-compliant temperature-controlled food module, then swap it out for a GoldenHourTM ambu-kit and re-task to pick up a patient. :nod:


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## daftandbarmy (10 Jun 2020)

Recently we provided the City of Vancouver with  report on the use of AI, like drones, in municipal operations, like fire and emergency services.

Beyond the fact that it's currently illegal, AI technology is at least 20 years away from being useable, economically, safely and reliably in a municipal setting.


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## blacktriangle (10 Jun 2020)

Good2Golf said:
			
		

> Airflow and debris would still be a factor, but as counter-gravitational propulsion comes into play in years to come, the parasitical effects of unintended lift force against debris, spectators and other objects in the immediate area around the incident PZ would be reduced.



Inertial mass reduction pizza delivery?


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## armyvern (12 Jun 2020)

mariomike said:
			
		

> Calling in an ambulance helicopter ( ie: ORNGE ) is a "big deal".



Fuck; you'd think they could figure out a way to get it down to a simple 9 liner eh, perhaps with a pop of smoke? 

Someone should try that.


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## daftandbarmy (12 Jun 2020)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> frig; you'd think they could figure out a way to get it down to a simple 9 liner eh, perhaps with a pop of smoke?
> 
> Someone should try that.



It seems Ornge has a different funding model though, which might conflict with that 'bare bones' approach 

Kick back allegations

After Ornge bought helicopters from AgustaWestland for $144 million, AgustaWestland then made a $4.7 million payment to Mazza-controlled ORNGE Global. A later additional payment of $2 million was promised. Allegedly, the payment was for “marketing services”. It was found that this "consisted of a small binder of information pulled together by Long."[18] Subsequent Ornge leader Ron McKerlie said the two small binders do not justify the large payment. The binders are said to be in the possession of the OPP.[19] 

Later, a former executive indicated that Ornge had paid AgustaWestland $7 million more than should have. It was this allegation that prompted the OPP investigation.[18] Tom Rothfels indicated that Mazza insisted on paying about $600,000 extra per helicopter (roughly $7 million).[20] Rick Potter, former COO, indicated about $10 million extra.[20] 

AgustaWestand also agreed to donate $2.9 million US to Ornge's charitable foundation.[21] 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornge


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## Xylric (12 Jun 2020)

Drones would be far more suitable for search and rescue and wildfire operations than medical evacuations. I would never trust an autonomous machine with any living organism, for reasons that go beyond my familiarity with multiple staples of science fiction. Without a level of face-to-face interaction, the individual being evacuated is certainly not going to be as comfortable trusting instructions.


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## Good2Golf (12 Jun 2020)

Xylric said:
			
		

> Drones would be far more suitable for search and rescue and wildfire operations than medical evacuations. I would never trust an autonomous machine with any living organism, for reasons that go beyond my familiarity with multiple staples of science fiction. Without a level of face-to-face interaction, the individual being evacuated is certainly not going to be as comfortable trusting instructions.



So you don’t take terrestrial drones (aka driverless shuttle trains) between terminals at most major airports?


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## mariomike (12 Jun 2020)

I don't even trust elevators without operators. Joking (  sort of )


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## lenaitch (12 Jun 2020)

Good2Golf said:
			
		

> So you don’t take terrestrial drones (aka driverless shuttle trains) between terminals at most major airports?



They're not trying to insert things in various openings or create new openings with sharp things as we bounce along.


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## Jarnhamar (13 Jun 2020)

lenaitch said:
			
		

> They're not trying to insert things in various openings or create new openings with sharp things as we bounce along.



A paramedic team could work on a patient, stabilize them and whisk them away to a hospital avoiding traffic, or, a paramedic could ride with the patient to the hospital.


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## mariomike (13 Jun 2020)

Jarnhamar said:
			
		

> A paramedic team could work on a patient, stabilize them and whisk them away to a hospital avoiding traffic, or, a paramedic could ride with the patient to the hospital.



Even back in 1965, when police cars were yellow, Toronto could have used them.


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## Good2Golf (13 Jun 2020)

lenaitch said:
			
		

> They're not trying to insert things in various openings or create new openings with sharp things as we bounce along.



That wasn’t Xylric’s issue, I believe. It was generally trusting to travel in an unmanned machine, which millions do around the world on those unmanned shuttles.


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## lenaitch (13 Jun 2020)

Good2Golf said:
			
		

> That wasn’t Xylric’s issue, I believe. It was generally trusting to travel in an unmanned machine, which millions do around the world on those unmanned shuttles.



Ya, sorry, my mind went to not only autonomous piloting but robotic paramedics.


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## mariomike (13 Jun 2020)

lenaitch said:
			
		

> Ya, sorry, my mind went to not only autonomous piloting but robotic paramedics.



Monkeys, more likely.  

( Apparently, they actually said that one year during contract negotiations. )


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## lenaitch (14 Jun 2020)

I was more thinking of something like this:


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## Good2Golf (14 Jun 2020)

lenaitch said:
			
		

> I was more thinking of something like this:



I don't doubt hat'll happen too, just likely take 100+ years. :nod:


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## a_majoor (14 Jun 2020)

While the idea being shown upthread has obvious similarities to a quadcopter, the Isreali's are developing a machine for similar purposes which resembles the concept first pioneered in the late 1950's by the Piasecki VZ-8 Airgeep. Two ducted rotors are placed front and rear of the machine, with passengers, engines and equipment held in between.

https://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emergency-vehicles/articles/israeli-flying-ambulance-drone-aims-to-save-lives-2pMldCISpZWwqYzU/

https://jalopnik.com/yes-the-u-s-army-actually-developed-a-flying-jeep-wit-1829029636


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## lenaitch (14 Jun 2020)

Shades of the Avro Aerocar.


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