What it does
The Hybrid eVTOL addresses global medical evacuation inefficiencies by combining hybrid-electric propulsion with vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) capabilities, allowing seamless operations in narrow or rugged environments.
Your inspiration
Inspiration stems from insights into modern medical rescue pain points and the integration of technological innovation: During global urbanization, traffic congestion prolongs emergency response times (e.g., WHO data shows 68% of emergency failure cases occur in megacities). Traditional ground ambulances are limited by road conditions, while medical helicopters are costly and lack sufficient landing sites, creating a "time-cost-efficiency" trilemma. In time-sensitive scenarios like organ transport and severe trauma evacuation, existing systems often fail to meet the "golden rescue time window" requirements.
How it works
The Hybrid Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft (Hybrid eVTOL), dubbed a "flying ambulance," employs a hybrid powertrain similar to that of hybrid cars: during vertical takeoff and landing, electric propellers powered by batteries enable operation, with a sled-style landing gear at the bottom adapting flexibly to narrow or complex terrains; during horizontal flight, hydrogen fuel cells activate to supplement power, addressing the short range limitation of pure electric systems. Multiple steerable propellers across the airframe support seamless mode switching between vertical and horizontal flight, allowing rapid takeoff/landing on rooftops, disaster zones, and other sites without runways. The cabin is customized as a "mobile ward," providing an "aerial lifeline" for transporting severely injured patients and organs—enabling precise, efficient three-dimensional medical rescue.
Design process
Inspired by hybrid vehicles’ "electric for short distances, supplementary energy for long distances" model, the "hydrogen-electric hybrid propulsion" solution was developed: electric power drives distributed rotors for agile vertical takeoff and landing, while hydrogen fuel cells engage during horizontal flight to extend the pure electric range from 150 km to over 800 km. Early prototypes using wheeled landing gear showed instability during simulated tests on ruins and snow, leading to the revolutionary "sled-style skid gear" design—widened curved panels with anti-slip coatings reduced ground pressure by 60%, enabling stable landings on gravel, snow, and other rugged terrains. The cabin layout evolved through multiple iterations into a "rail-based modular system," allowing quick reconfiguration for different medical needs. The exterior design was refined using clay models and subjected to repeated wind tunnel tests and fluid dynamics experiments, resulting in a 75% increase in overall flight speed by optimizing aerodynamic efficiency. These iterative improvements seamlessly integrated flexible vertical takeoff/landing capabilities, extended inter-city range, rugged terrain adaptability, and modular medical functionality into a unified rescue platform.
How it is different
It originates from a deep analysis of urban emergency medical pain points—addressing issues like traditional ambulances trapped in traffic and the high costs of helicopters. It features vertical takeoff and landing, low noise, zero emissions, minimal infrastructure requirements, and low operational costs. The "hydrogen-electric hybrid propulsion" solution was developed: to extend the pure electric range to over 800 km. A revolutionary "sled-style skid gear" design was introduced—widened curved panels with anti-slip coatings reduce ground pressure by 60%, enabling stable landings on gravel, snow, and other rugged terrains. The cabin incorporates a "rail-based modular system," allowing quick reconfiguration for different medical needs. These innovations culminate in a three-dimensional medical rescue solution that combines flexible vertical takeoff/landing, inter-city range capability, extreme environment adaptability, and adjustable cabin functionality.
Future plans
The design has successfully completed wind tunnel tests, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and multi-scenario flight simulations. It has now partnered with drone manufacturers in Anyang, China, for full-scale flight testing. The next phase will focus on engineering optimization and preparations for mass production.
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