PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - NHS Drones conflicting with light aircraft?
Old 17th Oct 2020, 10:44
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Radgirl
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
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NHS staff have set up a medical drone delivery service that makes it possible for the machines to carry Covid-19 samples, test kits and personal protective equipment between hospitals.
This is medical drivvel. Covid tests are sent twice a day in a BIG box. There is no urgency as the labs are not local, they are regional and they stack the incoming swabs for hours

PPE comes in big boxes by lorries. It isnt worth even using a large car. What on earth can a drone carry?

Hospitals have well established distribution systems. Deliveries in and out come from and go to multiple sites so having a drone between A and B is worthless. There are a very few urgent specimens and blood which are transported 24/7 by the blood transfusion service, using bikes and cars. This is very efficient and cheap as it uses volunteers. Even if the drone has the carrying capacity (blood is usually 4-5 Kg simply due to the temperature control and volume needed) what is the benefit? Who is going to control the drone? Where from? Who receives it? how do you get the blood from drone to patient as it must be kept in the cool box.....

Drones have been used with great success in the amazon and other countries delivering small items such as drugs to nurses who may be away from base for weeks and where there is no road network. This doesnt apply in the Western world. For it to work in the UK you need massive drones operating between 1836 hospitals in England alone. How many RAs will that need? Probably better to just close airspace below 1500 feet altogether
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