The indigenously designed and fabricated an AirEvacuation Pod (AEP) will help the evacuation team to safelyshift coronavirus-infected persons from ships and islands in afully sealed patient transfer capsule.
There will be no risk of cross infection to pilots andevacuation team using the pod with no requirement ofsanitation of aircraft post evacuation, a Defence spokesmansaid here.
The evacuation pod was designed under guidance ofPrincipal Medical Officer of the naval air station here, INSGaruda in consultation with specialist from the naval hospitalINHS Sanjivani and Head Quarters of Southern Naval Command,the spokesperson said.
It is made of aluminum, nitrile rubber and perspex.
The highlight of the pod is that it weighs only 32 kgand has incurred a manufacturing cost of Rs 50,000 which isonly 0.1 per cent of cost of an imported equivalent (Rs 59lakh), the spokesman said.
"Trials of patients inside AEP were undertaken onboard Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) and Dornier aircraft ofIndian Navy at Southern Naval Command and successfullycompleted on April 8. Twelve AEPs are planned for distributionacross Southern, Western, Eastern and Andaman and NicobarNaval commands," the spokesman said.
The successful induction of the AEP will vastlyincrease the Indian Navy's abilities in its relentless effortstowards aiding COVID prevention across the nation, thespokesman added. TGB SS