Electric Aircraft Used for Emergency Medical Response in Rural North Carolina

A new approach to emergency medical response has been tested in rural North Carolina, where a paramedic has used an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to respond to emergency medical calls.

The paramedic, Quinn Reece, flew a Pivotal BlackFly aircraft to two emergency response calls, carrying medical equipment and landing near the patients. On one of the calls, Reece arrived well ahead of the ambulance and began providing advanced life support while other responders were still en route.

The use of the eVTOL aircraft is being described as the first use of an eVTOL aircraft for routine emergency medical response in the US. The idea is not to replace an ambulance or transport patients by air, but to get a paramedic and critical medical equipment to the scene faster, particularly in places where long distances can slow conventional emergency response.

Hyde County, where the missions took place, covers nearly 1,500 square miles of land and water in eastern North Carolina. This makes it a challenging area for conventional emergency response, where long distances can slow down the response time.

The BlackFly aircraft is a lightweight, single-seat electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically, allowing the paramedic to operate from locations where a conventional airplane or even a helicopter in some cases would not be practical.

The use of the eVTOL aircraft was the result of a collaboration between Hyde County Emergency Medical Services, Pivotal, and emergency-services company Code Blue Resources. The three parties developed procedures for using the aircraft on emergency calls over a number of months and completed more than 300 training exercises before beginning operational flights.

The BlackFly is a very different aircraft from the larger eVTOL air taxis being developed by companies such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation. It is positioned by Pivotal as a personal electric aircraft rather than a commercial air taxi, due to its small size and regulatory status.

The success of the eVTOL aircraft in emergency medical response has been welcomed by Hyde County EMS Chief Brook Cox, who said that every decision made by the county is about getting advanced care to its citizens faster. The use of the eVTOL aircraft has proven that it is possible to overcome distance and reach patients sooner, redefining emergency response in rural communities.

The use of eVTOL aircraft in emergency medical response is a promising development, particularly in areas where long distances can slow down conventional emergency response. However, it is essential to note that the use of eVTOL aircraft is not a replacement for ambulances or traditional emergency response methods, but rather a complementary approach to getting medical care to patients faster.

## eVTOL Aircraft Specifications

| Feature | BlackFly | Helix | | --- | --- | --- | | Type | Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft | Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft | | Seating capacity | Single seat | Not specified | | Size | Lightweight | Not specified | | Regulatory status | Personal electric aircraft | Not specified |

## Conclusion

The use of eVTOL aircraft in emergency medical response is a promising development, particularly in areas where long distances can slow down conventional emergency response. The success of the eVTOL aircraft in rural North Carolina has shown that it is possible to overcome distance and reach patients sooner, redefining emergency response in rural communities. However, it is essential to note that the use of eVTOL aircraft is not a replacement for ambulances or traditional emergency response methods, but rather a complementary approach to getting medical care to patients faster.