First British drone distribution network
AGS Airports, which owns and manages Aberdeen (ABZ), Glasgow (GLA) and Southampton (SOU) airports, is to lead a consortium of 14 organisations that will develop and trial what will be the UK’s first national distribution network to use drones to transport essential medicines, blood, organs and other medical supplies throughout Scotland.
The 1.5 GBP project "Caelus"(Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland) started on 1 December 2020. It aims to develop the ground infrastructure needed to recharge the drones and the systems to control them in an airspace shared with civil aviation.
A digital blueprint of the drone delivery network will then be created with the potential to connect hospitals, laboratories, distribution centres and surgeries. The project is scheduled to run until early 2022. (ah)