World's first medical rescue drone debuts in China

The world's first emergency medical rescue drone and other advanced medical equipment developed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Haishen Medical Technology Co, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and industry partners are showcased at this week's China International Medical Equipment Fair. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Haishen Medical Technology Co has developed the world's first emergency medical rescue drone to bridge critical gaps in disaster response in extreme environments.

According to the company, the newly developed drone is equipped with advanced medical functions for respiratory support, intravenous infusion, vital sign monitoring, defibrillation and remote real-time video monitoring.

The drone can carry out precise search and rescue operations in challenging environments like humid, salty and turbulent seas, extreme temperatures from -25 C to 46 C and altitudes of 5000 meters, said Huang Yuhong, chairman and chief engineer of CSSC Haishen Medical Technology Co. Additionally, it can provide on-site emergency medical treatment and swiftly transport injured or sick individuals.

The world's first emergency medical rescue drone and other advanced medical equipment developed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Haishen Medical Technology Co, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and industry partners are showcased at this week's China International Medical Equipment Fair. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

"Weighing 600 kg with a 300-kg payload, this drone integrates autonomous flight modes — such as waypoint navigation and hovering — with remote ground control, enabling rapid deployment in disasters and epidemics," said Huang. "By fusing medical expertise with embodied intelligence, we've created a system that bridges search and rescue operations, significantly enhancing emergency medical capabilities in China and beyond."

The company jointly developed the drone with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and industry partners.

Meanwhile, at this week's China International Medical Equipment Fair, the company showcased its latest emergency (transfer) robots developed with partners like DEEP Robotics.

The world's first emergency medical rescue drone and other advanced medical equipment developed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation's Haishen Medical Technology Co, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and industry partners are showcased at this week's China International Medical Equipment Fair. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

At the fair, three new-generation emergency (transfer) robots swiftly climbed stairs and effortlessly navigated obstacles as per instructions, reaching designated locations for on-site emergency medical response. They also efficiently transported injured individuals on stretchers, utilizing portable emergency equipment to deliver precise on-the-spot emergency care.

"The new robots incorporate embodied intelligence and 5G technology, offering improved stability, payload capacity and operational flexibility compared to earlier models," Huang added. "In the future, we will continue to integrate cutting-edge technologies such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology and 6G into a series of advanced medical rescue equipment, contributing to the high-quality development of China's intelligent medical rescue equipment industry."

Experts from the Chinese Academy of Engineering said that the intelligent medical rescue equipment will significantly enhance China's comprehensive emergency medical rescue capabilities.