Inside Unmanned Systems provides actionable business intelligence to decision-makers and influencers operating within the global UAS community. Features include analysis of key technologies, policy/regulatory developments and new product design.
Issue link: https://insideunmanned.epubxp.com/i/720234
22 unmanned systems inside August/September 2016 ugust/Septe August/September 2016 August/September 2016 be August/September 2016 0 August/September 2016 6 August/September 2016 AIR AERIAL SERVICES AIR AERIAL SERVICES Photos courtesy of Zipline and (Left) Aeryon Labs P roviding communities with essential health care is no easy task. Medical professionals from emergency re- sponders and third world aid workers to time- stressed staffers in large hospitals face a host of challenges every day—challenges unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, can help overcome. Drones make it possible to deliver blood, vaccines, birth control, snake bite serum and other medical supplies to rural areas and have the ability to reach victims who require imme- diate medical attention within minutes, which in some cases could mean the difference be- tween life and death. They can transport medi- cine within hospital walls and courier blood between hospital buildings, as well as give el- derly patients tools to support them as they age in place. UAS offer a variety of exciting possi- bilities to the health care industry, possibilities that help save money as well as lives. "Drones are going to decrease the reliance on human beings that provide care and decrease the cost of assisting people," said Dr. Jeremy Tucker, vice president patient safety and regional medi- cal director at MEP Health. "Being able to cross long distances at faster speeds to deliver blood products and lab samples also is a huge ben- efit. Now transporting blood products between hospitals, for example, involves vehicles on the ground that are prone to accidents and delays. Drones can help decrease those incidents." The opportunities are there, which is why researchers, manufacturers and nonprof it organizations organizations are starting to look to UAS to are starting organizations are starting to look to UAS to to look organizations are starting to look to UAS to to UAS organizations are starting to look to UAS to to by Renee Knight provide applications that boost efficiencies and improve medical outcomes. Transporting Blood and Other Supplies As drones are incorporated more into the health care industry, Tucker said the first area that will see the most benefit is delivery. Ex- tensive research is already being done in this area with some countries beginning to benefit from this type of UAS application. Drone manufacturer Flirtey recently complet- ed the first ship-to-shore drone delivery in the U.S. The mission, held in conjunction with the John Hopkins University School of Medicine and the nonprofit Field Innovation Team (FIT), dem- the nonprofit Field Innovation Team (FIT), dem- onstrated how UAS can ferry aid such as medical supplies and water during a disaster situation, according to a press release. During the demo the drones carried medical samples for emergency testing, flying them between an onshore medical testing, flying them between an onshore medical relief relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility camp at Cape relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility May, relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility N.J., relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility and relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility a test facility relief camp at Cape May, N.J., and a test facility Whether they are transporting essential medical supplies to hard-to-reach areas or delivering meds inside large hospitals, drones can not only help health organizations save money, but lives as well. DRONES HEALTH "RIGHT NOW IT COSTS $10,000 to emergency lift someone in a helicopter to go to the hospital if they need blood. For orders of magnitude less money and less time you can deliver the blood with a drone." Ryan Oksenhorn, Zipline software team lead DISASTER RESPONSE Deploying UAS during disasters is another way this technology can be used to provide better, faster care to people in need. To read about how the Aeryon Lab SkyRanger did this after a recent disaster in Ecuador, visit insideunmannedsystems.com. insideunmannedsystems.com. RELATED STORIES ONLINE