Flying Ambulance... 'Organs and Blood' Transport in 2 Years, 'Patients' by 2030

By 2026, 'Emergency Doctor UAM,' which integrates UAM (Urban Air Mobility) into emergency medical services, will transport organs and blood, and 100 autonomous buses will operate across Seoul, focusing on transportation-disadvantaged areas. This is part of Seoul City's 'customized transportation support measures for people's livelihood,' reflecting Mayor Oh Se-hoon's philosophy of 'accompanying the vulnerable,' ensuring that the benefits of advanced transportation reach the underprivileged even as the city grows into a global smart city.

On the morning of the 8th (local time), Mayor Oh attended the 'Annual Investment Summit (AIM)' in the future city sector at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and declared the promotion of the '2024-2026 People's Livelihood Priority Advanced Transportation Innovation Strategy,' aimed at making these benefits tangible for disadvantaged groups in daily life.

On the 8th (local time), Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivered a keynote speech titled "Seoul's Strategy for a Better Future City" at the AIM (Annual Investment Meeting) held in Abu Dhabi.
[Photo by Seoul City]

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At this event, Mayor Oh officially announced plans to operate the 'Emergency Doctor UAM' as a commercial UAM service. Since September 2011, an emergency medical helicopter called 'Doctor Helicopter' has been operating to provide rapid patient transport and emergency treatment in medically vulnerable areas. However, infrastructure management at designated landing points, where prior takeoff and landing permissions are granted for patient boarding and alighting, has been criticized as inadequate. Additionally, night flights have been difficult, limiting effectiveness. According to Seoul City, 32% of dispatches were suspended last year due to urban noise issues.

To address these issues, problems related to noise, environmental impact, and spatial constraints will be resolved first. The 'Emergency Doctor UAM' will use eco-friendly electric energy and actively utilize 657 urban spaces, including (advanced) general hospitals, large buildings, and school playgrounds.

A new emergency signal system will also be established. This system prioritizes signals when emergency vehicles approach, enabling fire trucks and ambulances to perform rapid rescues even in congested urban areas. Initially, the emergency signal system will be built and pilot-operated in Mapo and Gangnam areas within the year, then gradually expanded throughout Seoul.

From the early commercialization stage in 2026, Seoul plans to use UAM for transporting organs and blood, and by 2030, expand its use to emergency medical services and emergency rescue. A total of 10 units will be operated, establishing a public medical and disaster relief service system worth 182 billion KRW. Mayor Oh emphasized, "The first users of UAM in Seoul will be emergency patients," adding, "UAM will not be an exclusive luxury for a few wealthy individuals but a core transportation means for public medical services for all Seoul citizens."

Aligned with the philosophy of 'accompanying the vulnerable,' there is also a plan to operate more than 100 autonomous vehicles across Seoul by 2026. More than 50 units of 'customized autonomous driving' services for people's livelihood, such as late-night and early-morning autonomous driving and autonomous driving in transportation-disadvantaged areas, will be intensively expanded. The 'late-night autonomous bus,' a representative future transportation mode in Seoul, and the 'early-morning autonomous bus' to be introduced in October this year, will become customized services that break time and spatial boundaries. Mayor Oh introduced that he personally proposed the policy to facilitate smooth commuting for early-morning cleaning workers and described it as "a tremendous victory of cutting-edge technology."

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