Beijing — China has developed the world’s first emergency medical rescue drone, marking a breakthrough in disaster response technology for extreme environments, according to Science and Technology Daily.

The cutting-edge drone was developed by Haishen Medical Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other industry partners.

Equipped with advanced medical functionalities, the drone can deliver critical emergency care in remote or hazardous areas. Its features include respiratory support, intravenous infusion systems, vital sign monitoring, defibrillation, and real-time remote video surveillance.

Huang Yuhong, chairman and chief engineer of Haishen Medical Technology, stated that the drone is designed to operate in harsh conditions — including humid, salty, and turbulent marine environments — as well as extreme temperatures ranging from -25°C to 46°C, and altitudes up to 5,000 meters.

Beyond search and rescue missions, the drone is capable of providing on-site emergency treatment and rapid transport of injured or ill individuals.

Weighing 600 kilograms with a payload capacity of 300 kilograms, the drone combines autonomous flight technologies — such as waypoint navigation and hovering — with remote ground-based control systems. This integration allows for quick deployment during natural disasters, epidemics, and other emergency scenarios.

“By merging our core strengths in medical equipment and drone engineering with cutting-edge artificial intelligence, we have created a powerful tool that significantly advances China’s capabilities in smart emergency medical response,” Huang added.