The bigger picture: Medical eVTOL aircraft

An eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft originally designed to ferry high-net-worth individuals and corporate executives is set to be used to transport organs and medical personnel. Italian design company Manta is reconfiguring its two-seater ANN2 aircraft to work in collaboration with Avionord, a Milan-based company that offers air-ambulance services.

Avionord has taken a minority stake in Manta and has agreed to buy up to 15 ANN aircraft.

“The Manta ANN platform is the only eVTOL offering a range of several hundred miles, which is useful for missions to transport organs from one hospital to another, avoiding being dependent on airports and road transport,” said Eugenio Cremascoli, Avionord CEO. “The ANN eVTOLs will enable us to reduce transportation time of organs that have a limited life when not connected to dedicated machines. It will also have a reduced cost.”

The ANN2 combines aeroplane and helicopter capabilities. With the ability to take off and land vertically, it requires very little ground space. A hybrid propulsion system is composed of a turbo generator and batteries, offering higher performance in terms of endurance and range (600km, 370 miles).

Its plane-like architecture allows for higher speeds (300km/h, 185mph) and climb rates, as well as optimised manoeuvrability in safer flying conditions. Manta plans to begin certification testing in 2023, with production in 2025.