Drone flight ‘corridor’ trial underway between two Midlands hospitals

A trial is underway to connect two Midlands hospitals by a drone flight ‘corridor’ that will speed up medical deliveries.

Skyfarer Ltd, which is based in Coventry, and partner Medical Logistics UK have begun a collaborative Medical Drone Delivery Beyond Visual Line of Sight trial.

The Medical Logistics UK corridor connects 32km of airspace between the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire Trust’s hospitals in Coventry and Rugby and will be in place for a three-month period from October until December 2022, to conduct a number of routine and ad hoc medical drone deliveries.

The long-term aim of the trial is to help ease the growing pressures on the healthcare system, where there is an ever-expanding need for hospitals to receive time-sensitive medical supplies.

Project Manager for Skyfarer Georgia Hanrahan said: “As a result of significant road congestion and heavy infrastructure, we believe the use of drones can help support medical deliveries and speed up the process.

“There are no potholes in the sky, nor is there as much congestion, and without the need for heavy infrastructure to land, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can add to the fleet of logistical transfers and provide a faster, more sustainably friendly and cheaper solution.”

Managing Director at Medical Logistics, Alex Landowski said: “I welcome our new partnership as an opportunity to revolutionise the UK medical supply chain. With our emission-free solution, this trial over land will conduct a number of routine and ad hoc medical deliveries.”