Sam Immens1
1NSW Ambulance
Biography:
Sam Immens spends half his time as a Critical Care Helicopter Paramedic with NSW Ambulance, and the other half as a Paramedic Educator to this group (67 CCPs and >100 Doctors). With over 25 years in Health, and more than 10 years flying, Sam enjoys being able to help shape members of a medical team and at the same time learn from these same colleagues.
Working as a Critical Care Paramedic with NSW Ambulance and the Toll Rescue Helicopter has been a life-long personal and professional goal. He is genuinely humbled by the professionalism displayed by the Pilots, Aircrew, Doctors, Engineers, Managers, Support staff and my fellow CCPs, in delivering critical care to anyone, in any place, at any time across New South Wales.
He finds getting the ah-ha moments the most rewarding, and remains curious about emerging technologies and how to best integrate them for value-add to an established and mature rescue and retrieval system.
Kent Hanson is the Deputy Chief RePL Instructor at Toll Uncrewed Systems, supporting RPAS training and operations within the Government & Defence portfolio. With a dual background in military and civilian aviation, Kent brings significant expertise in aircraft maintenance, RPAS instruction, and regulatory compliance.
Kent holds a variety of CASA Remote Pilot Licences across multirotor, powered lift, and fixed wing categories, including various medium-category multirotor, fixed wing, and powered lift platforms. He has delivered training across a broad range of systems and plays a key role in the development of instructor standards, course content, and operational deployment procedures. Kent actively supports the delivery of enterprise training solutions aligned to CASA’s regulatory framework and emerging industry requirements.
Kent began his aviation career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Australian Navy, where he earned his Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME) certification. He remains an active Naval Reservist and was one of the first members of the Royal Australian Navy to become qualified in the uncrewed systems sector—demonstrating early leadership in the adoption and integration of RPAS capabilities within the Navy.
Kent’s combined experience in Defence and commercial RPAS operations ensures a disciplined, safety-driven approach to training, operational readiness, and capability development in Australia’s evolving uncrewed aviation sector.
Abstract:
In late 2024, New South Wales Ambulance (NSWA) in conjunction with Toll Uncrewed Systems commenced a trial to integrate drones within the Aeromedical Special Operations and Critical Care Paramedic teams. The aim of this trial was to expand the current aeromedical capability using drones to improve patient outcomes and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of aeromedical operations.
3 key learnings to date include:
• Enhanced Situational Awareness: Uncrewed operations provided real-time, live feed aerial imaging, enhancing situational awareness for rescue teams. In scenarios with challenging visibility and conditions such as in the Blue Mountains, our uncrewed systems team could provide vital information back to NSW-A aeromedical operations centre and health care personnel, allowing them to make informed decisions.
• Improved Response Time: Integrating uncrewed systems with NSWA allowed for quicker deployment and initial assessment of the situation and patient. This enabled the NSWA Special Operations teams to gather essential information rapidly, assess risks, and plan an effective response in a remote and inaccessible area.
• Extended Operational Hours: With the ability to operate during times when the crewed helicopter cannot, such as in adverse weather conditions, drone capabilities ensured continuous monitoring and assessment of the patient as well as contact between NSWA Special Operations teams and the patient, to ensure their safety and overwatch until rescue operations could be safely conducted.
While helicopters remain essential for extractions and medical evacuations, uncrewed systems can enhance overall rescue efficiency in challenging environments by providing vital communication links.