iscover
Sydney-based advanced air mobility (AAM) firm AMSL Aero has landed its first partnership in New Zealand.
AMSL Aero will work with aeromedical organisation Life Flight New Zealand to support future use of its Vertiia electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the country.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“Vertiia will enable safe, efficient, fast and reliable aircraft to support Life Flight’s aeromedical operations,” said Andrew Moore, chief engineering officer at AMSL Aero.
“Our partnership with Life Flight will allow us to include their expert feedback to refine the aircraft’s development for air ambulance work.”
Vertiia, which AMSL Aero says will have a range of up to 1,000 kilometres when powered by hydrogen, hovered for the first time last year and will undergo its first test flight in 2025. Its first commercial flights are planned for 2027.
Mark Johnston, CEO of Life Flight New Zealand, said Life Flight and AMSL hope Vertiia could complement the existing NZ fixed-wing air ambulance fleet, offering capabilities such as transferring adult and neonatal intensive care patients between hospitals as well as moving lower-acuity patients.
“Life Flight had more than a 20 per cent jump in aeromedical mission numbers last year and is currently on track for a further 25 per cent increase this year – that’s almost double the number of air ambulance missions in just two years, and proof of the growing reliance of Kiwis on our services,” he said.
“Most of our aeromedical flights are generally within 45 minutes flying time from our two bases, potentially providing an ideal flight profile for alternative fuel sources, particularly hydrogen fuel cells.
“Hydrogen-powered aircraft such as AMSL Aero’s Vertiia offer air ambulance operators the potential to significantly reduce our emissions footprint, complementing New Zealand’s existing fleet of air ambulances with state-of-the-art aircraft that are both cheaper to operate and kinder to the environment.”
AMSL Aero last year received $5.43 million in federal government funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology for Vertiia, with the eVTOL landing its first commercial customer, general aviation and regional airline group Aviation Logistics, in February 2024.
The company in July announced ground testing was underway at Bankstown Airport on Vertiia’s hydrogen-electric power train.
