In a UK first, drones have successfully delivered blood packs, flying beyond the visual line of sight, where the pilot can no longer see them as they travel. The flights were part of a joint trial between the NHS and healthcare logistics startup Apian. Its aim was to test the viability of blood samples following drone transport. To do this, the research team sent 10 identical blood packs between Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Wansbeck Hospital and Alnwick Infirmary, and back again. Five of them travelled via drone over a 68km journey in a total of 61 minutes. The other…
