A milestone for patient transport
In a groundbreaking test flight, a drone has successfully completed a 4 km route between the De Zon nursing home in Bellegem, managed by Zorg Kortrijk, and the Groeninge General Hospital in Kortrijk. This flight, conducted beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight (BVLOS), represents an important milestone in the TETRA Medical Drone Supplies (MEDROS) project, led by VIVES University of Applied Sciences.
The MEDROS project aims to not only explore but also implement the possibilities of drone technology for the transport of medical goods in the Flemish healthcare sector and to integrate it into the entire healthcare logistics chain. This flight provided concrete evidence that the fast and efficient exchange of medical samples by drones is possible. In addition, project partner KU Leuven is conducting a comparison between the quality of blood samples transported by drone and those transported by road.
The drone flight took place partly within the geozone of Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport, where strict safety regulations apply to drone flights. This test is unique: it is the first time that a drone has flown in this geozone outside the pilot’s line of sight without having to disrupt other air traffic.
The safety of the operation was ensured by using SkeyDrone’s BVLOS framework, which is based on a set of advanced digital services and guarantees the safety of everyone in the air and on the ground. The flight was operated by ADLC, a Belgian start-up with experience in transporting petrochemical samples in the port of Antwerp. The drone was operated fully automatically throughout the flight and remotely monitored in real time from ADLC’s control room.
The flight was closely monitored by a team of experts and the data collected is being analyzed to make further recommendations.
“We are very pleased with the results of this test flight,” says Joke Van Vooren, lecturer and project collaborator for aviation at VIVES. “It shows that drones can be a valuable addition to our current transport methods, especially in emergency situations where speed is crucial. This is an important step towards more efficient and faster transport of medical goods in the healthcare sector.”
“At AZ Groeninge we are open to innovation in the healthcare sector. The MEDROS project gave us the opportunity to contribute to the technical and economic aspects of drone transport in healthcare. Although it has already been proven that this is possible, we also find it important to know that this can be done safely and that the quality of the goods can be guaranteed,” explains Brian Desplinter, head of the innovation project at AZ Groeninge.
“The successful completion of this medical transport flight is a testament to the versatility and potential of drone delivery services. We are proud to contribute our experience to the healthcare sector by offering an efficient, convenient and sustainable alternative to current means of transportation,” adds Rayan Quintaes, co-founder and CEO of ADLC.
“This test flight perfectly illustrates how our BVLOS framework can ensure the safety and efficiency of drone operations even in complex airspace. It is a significant step towards the integration of drone technology in critical sectors such as healthcare,” commented Didier Decaestecker, Sales Manager at SkeyDrone.
