By Richard M.
Obertots, MBA, NREMT-P (ret.), CEO, ThinkThroughTools, LLC
I recently participated at an NBAA (National Business Aviation
Association) event in Dayton, OH. A high point occurred when a group of
us were able to go through the Wright Brother’s original workshop, see
their drafting table and tools and observe the restored and original
1905 Wright Flyer III, “The First Practical Airplane.” If there is a
“Holy Grail of Aviation” this has to be it!
This experience spoke to me of America and all that our United States of
Aviation has brought to our country and our planet through our devotion
to – and innovation in aviation and aerospace. It is unfathomable to
calculate the positive outcomes and positive impact we have had – and
will continue to have – here – and as aviation capabilities thrive in
emerging nations as their economies enable them to participate in the
power and productivity that flight enables.
A MEDICAL AVAITION - HERE COMES A HUMMINGBIRD
While standing near the 1905 Wright Flyer III it evoked strong emotions
too about the present state of Air Medical Aviation. How we continue to
strive to accomplish our noble mission, how we must be better now - how
we must improve going forward to realize the aspirations of “Vision
Zero” – and continue the trajectory of Orville and Wilbur Wright to
experiment and engage emerging aviation platforms. Although there are
many; from hovercrafts to air ships that can accomplish Air Medical
Missions – perhaps the one with the most potential to positively affect
our industry may be UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles). As one example – the
Boeing A160T Hummingbird. (Here we pause for those that will immediately
have a fit and begin to scream, “NO WAY!”)
WHAT UAVs & AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORT! ARE YOU KIDDING?
Imagine the last time you were at an airport. Did you have much
trepidation when you boarded an “unmanned” shuttle and were transported
to your terminal or gate? Imagine the last time you took a flight aboard
a large commercial aircraft – did you fret and fly in fear because much
of the time on-board computers and navigation systems were virtually
aviating with little to no human intervention? There is a lot more
unmanned transportation happening than many of us realize and the future
utilization of UAVs may offer many benefits and sustainable positive
outcomes as it pertains to Air Medical Transport. UAVs like the Boeing
A160T Hummingbird could:
• Transport point to point in a manner that greatly factors out human
emotion, human fatigue and human error
• Help to offset the overwhelming shortages of qualified and experienced
HEMS aviators, clinicians and communication specialists
• Transport both non-complex urgent and non-urgent patients to free up
manned aircraft to focus on complex missions requiring high levels of
human intervention
• Operate safely and routinely in IFR conditions
• Accelerate investment to drive new technology infrastructure here and
abroad
• Reduce aircrew and passenger fatalities
• Enable myriad of new careers for upcoming generations of SSEHCVGs
(Super Skilled Eye Hand Coordinated Video Gamers) that become UAV pilots
along with all the other new careers required to engineer, build, test,
develop, manage and relentlessly improve the many elements of the UAV
Air Medical system
Just a few of the many unknowns:
• Costs
• Reimbursement models
• Infrastructure requirements
• Interfacing with existing ATC, airspace and EMS systems
• More FAA oversight and rules for an already overwhelmed system
• Reliability
• Resistance to innovation by those who would entrust patients to UAV
transport
• Liability
As we begin to design air medical transport UAV Systems, the key word is
Systems. Of course we must factor the aircraft costs but it is the
support that is key. As present day estimates range (see sidebar) it is
looking as if the hourly cost of operation can be significantly less
than manned aircraft. However, we need to begin real-time and real-world
simulations and testing to have a better idea. Key—now is the time to
begin.
As we might expect – many reading this will be able to create a list of
negatives much greater than potential positive outcomes. And we need
this! As with all new platforms – we have to systematically apply
intensive advanced TEM (Threat & Error Management.)
ALBERT, ORVILLE & WILBER’s LEGACY; OUR DUTY TO INVESTIGATE & INNOVATE
Albert Einstein once remarked, "Great spirits have always encountered
violent opposition from mediocre minds."
Just as the Wright Brothers encountered violent opposition and
overwhelming problems – these were surmounted. UAVs and many other
emerging innovations will encounter violent opposition as we strive to
improve and make safer – our air medical transport system. Leaders,
innovators and entrepreneurs will surmount these.
Manned or unmanned – if we are to have a sustainable future – much of
our fate is in our hands. Will it be Boeing A160 T Hummingbirds or will
it be cryogenics that put patients in a cooled suspended animation state
that requires no rapid or air medical transport? As we strive to speed
up – we may find slowing down metabolism and transport wins the day.
Whatever the velocity or transport modality - we must investigate and
innovate to achieve high-yield positive outcomes for all those who find
their health in peril and are counting on us to effectively and
consistently intervene. |
Q: What does a UAV
cost to buy? To operate?
A: UAVs flying
today range in price from $1000 to $26 million. [For comparison, manned
aircraft range in price from $20,000 to $500 million.] Examples: The
latest production version of the Air Force/Teledyne Ryan RQ-4/Global
Hawk costs over $26 million, not including its payload, the Air
Force/General Atomics RQ-1/Predator $3.3 million with payload, and the
Navy/PUI RQ-2/Pioneer just over $900,000 with payload. Tactical size
UAVs are commercially available in the $250,000 range with payload, the
Aerosonde Robotic Aircraft's Atlantic-crossing Aerosonde runs $35,000,
and MLB offers mini (not micro) UAVs for around $1000 per aircraft. It
is a common mistake to focus on the price of the individual aircraft and
confuse it for the price of the UAV system, which includes its ground
control station and shelter, launching mechanism, and typically three or
more additional aircraft. These can make the price of an UAV system two
to ten times the price of its individual aircraft. Once bought and
deployed, operating costs are reportedly (Aviation Week & Space
Technology, 22 Jun 98, p.23) in the hundreds of dollars an hour for
Predator and tactical size UAVs. [For comparison, commercial helicopters
cost $600-800 an hour and a Boeing 747 airliner some $7400 an hour.]
Source: http://www.uavforum.com/
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