Airbus and BlueRoom explore mixed reality training for future HEMS missions
The companies will explore mixed reality training solutions for future HEMS programs, aiming to enhance preparedness for complex air medical and emergency missions through immersive, scenario-based simulation technology
Airbus Helicopters and Australian simulation specialist BlueRoom Simulations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the use of mixed reality training technologies in future helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) programs.
The agreement, signed during RotorTech 2026 on Australia’s Gold Coast, will see the companies investigate how immersive simulation environments could support air medical, emergency response, and defense crews operating in high-pressure mission settings.
The collaboration focuses on integrating BlueRoom’s high-fidelity mixed reality training platform into broader aircraft training, support, and sustainment packages for future HEMS operations. The system allows crews to train using real medical equipment and mission workflows within immersive virtual environments designed to replicate operational conditions.
Potential applications include crew resource management, search and rescue (SAR), hoist operations, law enforcement, and other specialist mission profiles commonly associated with air medical and emergency response operations.
Ben Krynski, CEO and Co-Founder of BlueRoom Simulations, said the agreement reflected growing interest in alternative training methods that reduce reliance on live aircraft while maintaining operational realism.
“BlueRoom was developed to help crews train in realistic, high-pressure environments without needing to rely on live aircraft for every scenario,” he commented. “Working with Airbus Australia Pacific and Airbus Helicopters gives us the opportunity to explore how this capability could support future HEMS programs in Australia and markets globally.”
Christian Venzal, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, added that mixed reality technologies could help improve operational preparedness for emergency medical crews.
“HEMS crews operate in some of the most demanding conditions imaginable, and the way we prepare them needs to keep pace,” he noted. “Mixed reality training has real potential to place crews into high-pressure scenarios in a safe and controlled manner.”
The MoU also outlines the potential for longer-term collaboration, including possible integration of BlueRoom’s technology into Airbus’ wider global supply chain and international tender opportunities.