Drone can airlift casualties from conflict zones

The AirMule drone can carry passengers and land in a variety of terrains, including forests and urban conflict zones.

The world saw one of its first autonomous human-carrying drone at this year’s CES by Chinese manufacturer Ehang. Now AirMule by Tactile Robotics is a drone capable of ferrying human casualties in conflict zones where helicopters can’t reach.

The unmanned aircraft, capable of vertical takeoff and landing features internal rotors, requires a small surface area for deployment, and can land in hard to access terrains such as forests or streets in urban conflicts. With a maximum load of 1100 kg, the AirMule can sit two humans and carry extra supplies, and is capable of hovering with high precision in up to 50 knots wind speed. Its small visual footprint, low noise and reduced radar also provides a stealth advantage. The drone claims to have a maximum flight height of 18,000 ft, and a cruise speed of more than 110 mph.

The AirMule was designed primarily as a military support solution, but what are some other uses for human-carrying drones?