Cutting precious time and CO2 emissions
Moving samples between Guy’s Hospital and the lab at St Thomas’ Hospital in London can take more than half an hour by road but takes less than two minutes by drone. This enables quicker analysis, helping to efficiently determine whether patients are safe to undergo surgery or be discharged.
In a landmark first, healthcare logistics company Apian and the drone delivery company Wing, who have previously partnered on medical drone delivery in the Irish capital Dublin, are now trialling a six-month service regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority which could pave the way for other medical items.
Another benefit: lightweight commercial drones can cut CO2 emissions by up to 99% compared to non-electric cars and reduce the amount of electricity required for transport compared to electric delivery vans. (ah)