Airbus Australia Pacific, Airbus Helicopters and Australian health-technology company Lindo have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the integration of antimicrobial blue light (aBL) disinfection technology into Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) platforms.

The agreement, announced during RotorTech on the Gold Coast on 7 May 2026, establishes a framework for joint research and development into occupant-safe, continuous disinfection systems that could be incorporated into future aeromedical configurations of Airbus helicopters operating across Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

The collaboration will initially focus on feasibility studies, system integration, and validation of antimicrobial blue light technology within Airbus Helicopters platforms, with a longer-term objective of certified aircraft integration.

Critical care transport environments operate under significant time pressure, with high patient turnover and elevated infection risks. The companies stated that autonomous, continuous disinfection capability could assist in reducing pathogen transmission while maintaining the operational tempo required for emergency medical missions.

Robert Gangi, CEO and Founder of Lindo, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to reducing in-flight infection risks through the development of occupant-safe disinfection technologies for next-generation aeromedical platforms.

Christian Venzal, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, said HEMS crews often operate at the limits of aeromedical aviation capability and that future platform development must consider not only aircraft performance, but also the cabin environment itself.

He added that the collaboration combines Airbus’ aerospace capability with Australian innovation to explore cleaner and more resilient clinical environments for patients and medical crews.

The Lindo research and development programme is being conducted in collaboration with Marker Design and supported by the Victorian Government as part of advanced manufacturing and technology development initiatives within the state.

Airbus Helicopters currently maintains a significant presence in the global HEMS sector, with more than 3,000 Airbus rotorcraft supporting emergency medical operations worldwide, representing more than half of the global HEMS fleet.

In Australia and New Zealand, Airbus helicopter platforms including the H125, H135 and H145 form a major part of aeromedical operations, while the next-generation H160 and H140 are expected to expand capability further in the coming years.