Groundbreaking trial is proving drones are way forward in delivering life-saving medical supplies between Rugby and Coventry hospitals

A groundbreaking trial is proving drones can be used to deliver life-saving medical supplies between Rugby and Coventry hospitals in super quick time.

Drones are travelling the 32km flight corridor between Rugby’s Hospital of St Cross and University Hospitals 27 minutes faster than driving a van.

Coventry-based Skyfarer Ltd, its partner Medical Logistics UK and drone manufacturer Phoenix Wings conducted the feasibility pilot, a first for the UK.

An initial three-month trial saw medical supplies moved between the two hospitals from a central hub in the region using PW One drones, designed and manufactured by Phoenix Wings.

That was followed by a further trial with an Orca drone, which is faster and can carry a 15kg payload, compared to 500 grams.

The Medical Logistics UK corridor connected 32km of airspace between the two hospitals and saw a host of supplies moved across the skies by the drone in a process managed by Skyfarer.

Flights took place at a range of times in the day and in a host of different weather conditions and cut down the delivery time to just 18 minutes compared to around 45 minutes by van across the 32km journey. Without restrictions around flight path, it could have completed the journey in just eight minutes.

Overall, it led to a carbon saving of more than 85 per cent.

The aim of the trial was to help ease the growing pressures on the healthcare system, where there is an ever-expanding need for hospitals to receive vital time-sensitive medical supplies.

It was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and also had the backing of four different mobile network providers, including BT, to ensure the drone had the strongest possible connectivity when in flight.

Georgia Hanrahan, of Skyfarer, said: “More people have walked on the moon than been given the permissions to do the kind of trial we have just carried out, it is that rare.

“We’ve operated in daytime, night-time and in restricted airspace around commercial and recreational flights. We’ve been tested in a lot of different areas when it comes to using this technology for medical supplies and we have proven that the feasibility of using drones for medical supplies works.

“The trials have shown that it can be done with the very highest standards of safety and extremely efficiently, which reduces costs and dramatically cuts down on carbon emissions.

“By being able to utilise the Orca, which didn’t previously have clearance to fly in the UK, we have been able to up the speed of delivery and the payload which opens it up to more uses for the NHS.”

Elliot Parnham, of Skyfarer, added: “This aircraft really opens up the market for logistical deliveries within the NHS. It allows us to take much larger payloads over longer distances much more reliably.

“It gives us the opportunity to move from niche deliveries to a daily occurrence of life-saving supplies for the NHS.”

Jian Wang, of Phoenix Wings, said: “This is just the beginning and we look forward togrowing deliveries of this nature at scale.”

with partners within this emergingindustry sector.”