Healthcare and emergency assistance firm Falck has begun medical drone deliveries between the town of Svendborg in southeastern Denmark, and the island of Ærø.
The drones are being used to transport blood samples and medicine between facilities in the two places and offer significant reductions in transport times compared with traditional methods – ferries between Svendborg and Ærø take just under two hours each way.
The implementation of the service was supported work from the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen), air traffic controller Naviair, the Danish Innovation Fund, and the University of Southern Denmark.
Falck said that the implementation of the service is an ‘important milestone’ which enables ‘further expansion to other routes where the use of drones can make a difference for people’s health’.
The company said that it has plans to not only transport medicine and blood samples, but added: “Within three to five years, it is expected that drones will not only transport equipment or blood samples, but it will also be possible to fly a doctor or paramedic to an injury site.”
It follows the launch of Falck’s new developmental unit Vertical in March 2022, which the company said would ‘support innovation in the prehospital emergency area’, with drone technology being a key interest alongside artificial intelligence and green technologies.
Source: AirMed & Rescue