Drones for emergency medical assistance, Sis 118 launches Seuam

Revolutionizing emergency medical assistance through the use of drones and urban air mobility systems (Urban Air Mobility). This is the goal of the technical-operational partnership agreement between Sis 118, UrbanV, and D-Flight, an ENAV Group company, for the launch of Seuam (Sanitary Emergency Urban Air Mobility). The experimental project was conceived and coordinated by Mario Balzanelli, president of Sis 118. It was created with the goal of drastically reducing the response times of the Territorial Emergency System 118 in cases of sudden cardiac arrest, hemorrhagic shock, anaphylactic shock, acute intoxications, or other health emergencies involving imminent danger of death. This is achieved through the use of next-generation drones capable of transporting, under real-time control from the 118 Operations Centers, defibrillators, blood products, lifesaving medications, and medical devices directly to the emergency site.

"Reducing response times, even by just one minute, when life is in danger," Balzanelli states, "is certain to save countless lives. With Seuam, Sis 118 is experimenting with innovative air support solutions for advanced resuscitation of critically ill patients, bringing medical assistance to the most critical scenarios in the shortest possible time, thanks to innovative technologies and excellent partners such as UrbanV and D-Flight." UrbanV is a certified drone operator in the design and management of dedicated drone infrastructure, while D-Flight provides technical support for the safe and efficient integration of drones into the airspace.

The initiative, in its initial experimental phase (2025-2028), will involve flight tests in participating municipalities, including Altomonte (Cosenza), Santa Lucia di Serino (Avenza), Massa di Somma (Naples), Pizzo Calabro (Vicenza), Laterza (Taranto), Rosciano (Pescara), and Trebisacce (Calabria). In these scenarios, drones will be used to deliver lifesaving supplies in record time, overcoming logistical obstacles and reducing reliance on traditional rescue vehicles.