Ambulance helicopters and other socially important helicopter traffic risk being delayed over Värmdölandet this summer. That is what Region Stockholm thinks.
The Swedish Transport Agency has decided on a temporary restricted area over parts of Gustavsberg so that a private company can carry out goods deliveries with drones.
This means that the ambulance helicopter must request permission to fly into the area and that traffic control must ensure that there are no drones in the air before giving permission, which TV4 was the first to report if.
– There are different types of goods to be delivered to households, for example bread, canned goods and milk. After all, we have to enable technological development in society and have to test the concept, says Jörgen Andersson, head of the section for airspace and airports at the Swedish Transport Agency.
Requesting a permit will take vital time, says Region Stockholm.
– For us, it’s about minutes. We are ready for takeoff in less than 90 seconds, says helicopter pilot Tore Schultzberg.
Hear him tell the story of when they were alerted to a cardiac arrest but had to wait in the video above.
Appealed to the Administrative Court
The Swedish Transport Agency’s decision shows that the authority has consulted the Swedish Armed Forces and the County Administrative Board, and that it considers that the risks of socially important flights being negatively affected are low.
The authority considers that the exception for ambulance helicopters, where permission must be requested each time, is sufficient.
– But we will monitor the event monitoring and may reconsider the decision if it turns out that it has too serious consequences, says Jörgen Andersson.
Region Stockholm has appealed the Swedish Transport Agency’s decision, and it will now be tried in the Administrative Court.
Hear what Chief Medical Officer Patrik Söderberg says and why the Swedish Transport Agency granted permission to the drone company in the video below.