Unither Bioletronics and Robinson Helicopter Company have joined forces to develop hydrogen-powered electric helicopters for organ transport. This groundbreaking agreement combines Unither’s expertise in airborne delivery of lab-grown lungs with Robinson’s custom helicopter manufacturing experience. The collaboration aims to create a sustainable solution for life-saving organ deliveries.
Leveraging Green Hydrogen for Sustainable Aviation
The new fleet will be based on Robinson’s R44 and R66 models, powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Martine Rothblatt, CEO of United Therapeutics, Unither’s parent company, emphasized the significance of this transition:
“Just as protons from hydrogen atoms drive the mitochondrial power plants in our body’s cells, we will use protons from green hydrogen to drive the membrane-based fuel cell power plants in our Robinson R66 organ-delivery electric helicopters.”
Regulatory Approval and Production Plans
Unither and Robinson will build and test the hydrogen-powered helicopters, then aim to secure certification from the FAA and TCCA. This will allow them to put the aircraft into service for life-saving organ deliveries.
Mikael Cardinal, head of the program, stated, “Hydrogen-powered aircraft are the next frontier in sustainable aviation. We are committed to developing a zero-operational carbon emission fleet of aircraft and look forward to working with the expert team at Robinson Helicopter to enable regulatory approval and production.”
Extending Unither’s Track Record in Organ Delivery
Unither has already made significant progress in developing EVTOLs capable of delivering the lungs it manufactures, either piloted or autonomously. The partnership with Robinson Helicopter Company will further extend Unither’s track record of saving lives through aviation-delivered transplanted lungs.
As hydrogen-powered vehicles continue to evolve, their use in niche applications like organ transport will become increasingly common. The collaboration between Unither Bioletronics and Robinson Helicopter Company represents a major step forward in sustainable, life-saving aviation solutions.
For more information on Unither Bioletronics and their innovative organ delivery solutions, visit Unither’s website. To learn more about Robinson Helicopter Company and their custom aircraft manufacturing capabilities, check out Robinson’s website.
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