The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) plans to use drones to speed up the delivery of vital medicines. In this context, the first drone-delivered chemotherapy drugs will be delivered to the Isle of Wight. Test flights will begin shortly.
Medicine delivery by drone
The NHS has formed a new partnership with aerospace company Apian. It is stated that the journey times of drugs with a short shelf life will be reduced within the scope of the partnership, which aims to deliver drugs with drones. In addition, while the costs required for transportation will decrease, cancer patients will receive much more local treatment.
As part of testing, the chemotherapy drugs will be sent from Portsmouth to a hospital on the Isle of Wight, about 5-8 kilometers south of mainland England. It is said that delivery by drone will reduce the normal process, which takes about four hours, to half an hour.
The drone, which will be provided by Apian, weighs 85 kg and has a wingspan of 5 meters. In addition, it can carry loads of up to 20 kilograms. Sajid Javid, Minister for Health and Social Care: “I want the UK to be the world leader in cancer treatment and using the latest technology to deliver chemotherapy by drone means patients have faster and fairer access to treatment no matter where they live.” said.
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