AiRMOUR project opens up the skies for medical emergency drones
As populations grow, traditional traffic infrastructure is pushed to its limits. Mobility is, therefore, expanding into the third dimension – the airspace. AiRMOUR is a research and innovation project supporting sustainable air mobility in urban contexts via emergency and medical services. The project will test both manned and unmanned drones in real-life conditions in 2023.
The EU-funded AiRMOUR project focuses on the research and validation of novel concepts and solutions to make urban air mobility safe, secure, quiet and green, yet also more accessible, affordable and publicly accepted. As the airspace opens up for new transportation systems, new forms of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), such as passenger drones, are gaining more attention. Similar to the adaptation process of electric cars, there are challenges to overcome related to technology regulations, for example.
In order to tackle these challenges, a great deal more research is needed and cities need to integrate air mobility into their urban planning processes and acquire suitable tools for this. The AiRMOUR project drastically advances the understanding of necessary near-future actions – not only by urban communities but also by operators, regulators, academia and businesses.
Real-life demonstrations in cooperation with Emergency Medical Services
The AiRMOUR project aims to tackle one of the most critical real-life applications of urban air mobility, namely Emergency Medical Services. Within the AiRMOUR project, personal air vehicles for doctors and medical supplies are validated in real-life demonstrations in Stavanger (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), the region of Nord-Hessen (Germany) and simulation in Luxembourg.
Main outputs of the AiRMOUR project:
- UAM Toolbox for aviation and urban authorities
- UAM Guidebook for cities, operators and other stakeholders
- UAM Training programme, in cooperation with Eurocontrol
With the help of these tools, each European local cluster of aviation and urban actors will be able to set-up their own UAM realisation. Furthermore, European policymaking, U-space planning and investments will be reinforced as a consequence of AiRMOUR activity, findings and new knowledge.
“We have several unique elements in the AiRMOUR project, starting from the main outputs, such as the Urban Air Mobility toolbox and trainings. Their pragmatic design brings European cities quickly up to speed in UAM application. Furthermore, the emergency medical service implementation has great potential. Drones are a superior option when, for example, providing remote islands or congested urban areas with critical care”, says Project Coordinator Petri Mononen from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.
Multi-disciplinary consortium with proven capabilities
The AiRMOUR consortium will directly involve the cities and, therefore, ensure that the tools provided are of optimal use and that the impacts can be replicated widely. The consortium has a total of 13 partners, including research institutes, aviation authorities, UAM operators and Emergency Medical Service organisations. Furthermore, the AiRMOUR project will have 10 replicator cities, and an External Advisory Board with strong international support from organisations, such as NASA, Dubai Future Foundation and EASA, in addition to other endorsing bodies.
The three-year AiRMOUR project began on 1 January 2021 and has received funding of approximately €6 million from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. For more information on the AiRMOUR project, visit airmour.eu.
