Bolzano, 29.04.2026
FlyingBasket CEO Moritz Moroder: “Our technology allows for faster response times, reduces risks for rescuers, and improves patient transport conditions”
In the event of a mountain emergency, time is of the essence. And today, response times can be reduced by up to three times thanks to the use of cargo drones, with a significant impact on the safety of patients and rescue teams as well. This is what emerged from tests conducted in the Dolomites as part of the START2 Living Lab project, which explored the integration of drones into mountain rescue operations in complex environments. Among the project’s key players is FlyingBasket, a South Tyrolean tech company and global leader in the design, production, and development of cargo drones for logistics, which contributed by providing its technological platform, operational expertise, and training activities for rescue teams.
Field tests compared traditional ground evacuation methods with operations supported by heavy-lift cargo drones. The results show a significant improvement: evacuation time can be reduced by up to three times, while air transport via drone results in a reduction in stress on the patient—in terms of shocks and vibrations—up to ten times lower than ground transport. During the activities conducted with researchers and experts in mountain emergency medicine at Eurac Research, an innovative “hot loading” procedure was also developed, allowing a patient to be safely loaded while the drone remains hovering, further improving the effectiveness and safety of operations.
“With this project, we have helped demonstrate a fundamental shift: drones are no longer just support tools, but can become an active part of rescue operations,” comments Moritz Moroder, CEO and co-founder of FlyingBasket. “Our technology allows for faster response times, reduces risks for rescuers, and improves patient transport conditions. It’s a tangible change in how mountain emergencies are handled.”
“If we implement this technology in the future, we can make mountain rescue much safer and less dependent on technology like helicopters” comments Michiel van Veelen, MD, Researcher at the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Eurac.
Although the regulatory framework for the transport of people is still evolving, cargo drones are already ready today to support rescue operations, enabling the rapid transport of essential equipment, support for operational teams in remote areas, and reduced exposure to risk in challenging environments. The START2 Living Lab project is funded under the Interreg VI-A Italy–Austria program, with a total budget of 1,235,497 euros, of which 882,734 euros are co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The initiative stems from a collaboration among a multidisciplinary consortium bringing together stakeholders from research, technology, and rescue sectors, including NOI Techpark, Eurac Research – Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, MAVTech, FlyingBasket, CNSAS – Veneto Alpine and Speleological Rescue, FH Kärnten, and FH Kufstein Tirol.
“The value of START2 also lies in the collaboration between different partners, which has allowed us to test the technology under real-world conditions and bring it closer to operational use,” adds Moroder. “Our goal is to continue developing solutions that make rescue operations faster, safer, and more efficient, helping to set new standards for the future of operations in alpine environments.” The project’s results confirm that cargo drones can become an increasingly important component of the mountain rescue ecosystem, paving the way for innovative operational models based on speed, precision, and safety.
Alpine Rescue with FB3 Drones: Cutting Medical Evacuation Times by Up to 3x