ABOVE: Three weeks of live flying trials delivered NHS test specimens between two locations

The Project CALEUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland) initiative has successfully flown laboratory specimens between NHS locations using drones, with the conclusion of a three-week trial described as an important milestone for the project.

In a first for Scotland, the lab specimens were flown between the Edinburgh BioQuarter (adjacent to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh) and Borders General Hospital in Melrose – one of the first times the use of BVLOS (beyond visual line of site) medical drones has been demonstrated transiting between controlled and uncontrolled airspace. Assessments of how NHS staff will engage with the drone (both physically and digitally) were also performed.

With clinical samples informing urgent-decision making currently transported by road, the journey can take up to five hours; something Project CALEUS’ innovation could see slashed to as little as 35 minutes, drastically speeding up subsequent treatment.

Working with 16 consortium partners (including AtkinsRéalis, Skyports Drone Services, NATS and NHS Scotland), Project CALEUS aims to deliver the first national drone network capable of transporting essential medicines, blood products and other supplies across Scotland, including increasing accessibility to remote communities.

“The NHS is reliant on van logistics that have provided valuable services for decades, however these can take time, traveling hundreds of road miles each day,” explained Hazel Dempsey, CALEUS NHS Scotland programme lead. “In some parts of Scotland, patients who live in remote and rural locations are dependent on ferry or airline availability”.

Project CALEUS is led by AGS Airports in partnership with NHS Scotland and part funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge.

“Using a combination of digital twin technology and live test flights, Project CALEUS is able to trial various prototypes, taking learnings from each iteration to hone designs and land on something that can demonstrate the viability, scalability and efficiency of a drone network for medial deliveries across Scotland,” concluded Mike McNicholas, Managing Director for Infrastructure at AtkinsRéalis.

IMAGE: AGS AIRPORTS