Every year, several thousand people are involved in traffic accidents in Germany. People with heart attacks and strokes also experience life-threatening situations. In addition, seriously sick or injured patients have to be transported to German hospitals from abroad. Helping these people quickly and effectively is the task of DRF Luftrettung. Its motto: The best possible care for emergency and intensive care patients. To achieve this, DRF Luftrettung sets high quality standards, concerning medicine as well as aircraft operations and technics.

DRF Luftrettung operates 31 HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) bases in Germany and Austria with over 50 helicopters for emergency rescue and intensive care transport between hospitals. For worldwide repatriation of patients DRF Luftrettung operates 365/24h dedicated ambulance jets based at the airport Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (Germany). In 2015 the air rescue organization flew a total of 38,653 missions. A specially equipped offshore-helicopter is additionally based at Güttin (isle of Rügen) to provide fast emergency service for offshore-operations in the Baltic Sea.