Vertiia will save lives by allowing CareFlight to offer a direct service from remote sites directly to the hospital.
Vertiia will be able fly from CareFlight bases and land directly next to a remote medical clinic without needing to transfer patients between aeroplanes and road ambulances, thereby reducing clinical risk and delivering better patient outcomes.
AMSL Aero recently completed the maiden test flight of Vertiia, the first by an Australian-designed and built eVTOL, the new generation of aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like a plane. Vertiia will be able to fly up to 1,000km, three times the range of any eVTOL, which makes it the most efficient eVTOL in the world. It has zero carbon emissions and can carry four passengers and a pilot at a cruising speed of 300kph.
To mark the agreement with CareFlight, AMSL Aero is displaying its prototype aeromedical cabin fit-out for Vertiia at the Avalon International Airshow in Victoria from 28 February to 5 March 2023.
AMSL Aero CEO and Vertiia inventor Andrew Moore said: “It is absolutely critical to provide the best level of care to a patient while in flight. The fitted-out Vertiia will serve as a flying hospital with all of the best emergency equipment at the clinician’s fingertips.
“Aircraft are typically designed first, then an aeromedical fit-out is shoehorned inside. We are doing the opposite: we’re starting with the optimum aeromedical fit-out and designing the aircraft around it, with the needs of our key partners such as CareFlight front of mind.”
AMSL Co-Founder Siobhan Lyndon said: “CareFlight is a leading Australian innovator in rotary wing retrievals. They developed the rapid response helicopter service in Australia, so we are hugely grateful to them for their expertise. Vertiia is not only safe and quiet, but it was also developed for the harsh long-distance conditions in Australia. If it can work in Australia, it can work anywhere. We expect to commence deliveries in 2026.”
CareFlight CEO Mick Frewen, said: “Our mission is to save lives, speed recovery and serve the community. We transport patients on jets, turboprops, helicopters and road vehicles, so when AMSL approached us about the Vertiia eVTOL, we leapt at the opportunity. The Vertiia can supplement our road, helicopter and turboprop fleet. We love the huge doors on the Vertiia. The doorway is two metres wide, which is wider than on any aircraft we operate.
Frewen added: “CareFlight sees the potential for the Vertiia across a number of our existing operations. We look forward to reducing patient transport times and improving patient outcomes, and see it as a significant part of solving our future aeromedical fleet.”
About CareFlight : Established in 1986, CareFlight is an Australian aeromedical charity with a mission to save lives, speed recovery and serve the community. CareFlight operates helicopters, turbo-prop and jet aeroplanes, as well as road vehicles. Its doctors, paramedics and nurses treat and transfer patients from accident scenes and between hospitals. CareFlight is also a registered training organisation and since 2011 have run a community-focused national education program providing a variety of high-quality training programs.
AMSL Aero “Vertiia” Fact Sheet
- Vertiia is “the world’s longest range and most efficient eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing)” aircraft due to the unique combination of its aerodynamic efficiency and structural design. It uses less energy per seat than a high-speed train
- Vertiia takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter, but flies fast and efficiently like a plane. It is safer, quieter and more efficient than a helicopter
- Vertiia produces zero carbon emissions
- Vertiia’s commercial market entry following certification is planned for 2026
- The initial aircraft will be certified for piloted flight, with autonomy systems installed for future remote piloted applications
- Vertiia has a cost to operate comparable with short-range (domestic) airliners but has the advantage of taking passengers from door to door due to not requiring a runway
- Vertiia’s aeromedical setup will seat a pilot, a paramedic and/or doctor and patient, or it will be configured to carry passengers (1 pilot + 4pax)
- Vertiia will cruise at 300km /hour and its initial range will be 250km on battery and 1,000km on hydrogen power
- AMSL Aero holds international patents for Vertiia, protecting its core technological features, including its unique wing tilting mechanism, combined with its box wing design and control system
- Vertiia is an eight electric motor tilting wing aircraft that can operate from a helipad or similar size landing site
- Vertiia has the capability to connect Australian regional hubs such as Armidale to Coffs Harbour or Dubbo to Sydney and due to the small number of seats it can conduct on-demand (unscheduled) services to reduce excess capacity (empty seats)
About AMSL Aero : AMSL Aero is a sustainable development aerospace company founded in 2017 by Andrew Moore (Co-Founder and CEO), an aeronautical engineer with 20+ years’ experience in the aircraft industry, and Siobhan Lyndon (Co-Founder and COO), who has 20+ years’ experience in the technology, telecommunications, and professional services sectors, including 11 years at Google. AMSL Aero is a home-grown Australian aerospace company, with headquarters in Bankstown, New South Wales and flight test facilities in Wellington, New South Wales.
The name “AMSL Aero” is derived from the initials of the founders, husband and wife team, Andrew Moore (‘AM’) and Siobhan Lyndon (‘SL’). AMSL also refers in aviation speak to ‘Above Mean Sea Level’. The team at AMSL Aero comprises experienced aerospace, electrical, avionics, and mechanical engineers, all of whom have contributed to this amazing new aircraft. AMSL Aero is privately backed by investors including IP Group Australia, Telstra Super, Host Plus and St Baker Energy Innovation Fund.
See also |
CareFlight New South Wales Australia Air Ambulances 
Air Medical Ambulance Services AMSL Aero 
