Airbus has signed a partnership agreement with Estonia to allow the country’s emergency services to use the CityAirbus NextGen, the company’s upcoming electric take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
The initiative is a part of LifeSaver, a healthcare systems optimization framework developed by Airbus and International SOS, an international health services company.
Estonia signed an agreement to become the first testing ground for LifeSaver during the Airbus Summit in December 2022, although the partnership was only announced in February 2023.
The framework envisions a number of procedures, regulations and guidelines for faster and more efficient healthcare services.
“The goal is to identify and create innovative solutions not only for Estonia, but also for other countries so as to leverage our local capabilities and maximize the export opportunities of Estonian companies involved in the development of solutions,” Joonas Vänto, the director of governmental agency Invest Estonia, is quoted as saying in the agency’s press release.
CityAirbus NextGen will be a major part of the program, with studies aiming to find ways to integrate the vehicle into Estonia’s existing medical services ecosystem.
The press release hints at the eVTOL being predominantly used to access the remote areas in the country, such as islands in the Baltic Sea.
First revealed in 2021, the CityAirbus is expected to be a four-seat vehicle with a cruising range of 80 kilometers (50 miles) and the speed of 120 kilometers per hour (65 knots, 75 miles per hour).
The maiden flight of the first prototype, which is currently undergoing assembly, is planned for 2024.