The UK Space Agency has officially backed an electric drone programme developed by NHS staff to safely transport Covid-19 test samples.
Apian, part of the NHS clinical entrepreneur programme, is working to create secure air corridors for electric drones that could carry test-kits, Covid-19 samples and PPE.
The project aims to reduce the amount of physical contact with these items, minimising the risk of secondary transmission of the virus. It could also free-up NHS staff and avoid waiting on call-out couriers, according to the healthcare drone start-up.
The drone would use satellite-enable GPS and be based at Broomfield Hospital, Essex, which stands on a WW1 Royal Flying Corps Airfield. It will also be supported by the local Anglia Ruskin University as academic partner.
Christopher Law co-founder of Apian, said: “Covid-19 has highlighted challenges in NHS supply chain logistics. There has never been a better time to create a faster, more dependable and environmentally friendly method of transporting medical supplies.
“We are confident that by setting up a medical drone delivery service, we’ll be able to fly samples to labs more regularly, reliably and quickly, improving patient health outcomes.”
This is one of several projects the UK Space Agency is supporting in its backing of innovation using space-enabled technologies and services to support the NHS in the ongoing battle against Covid-19.
The other projects include DriverNet, a mobile app that uses satellite technology to aid those wishing to travel to coronavirus care providers by giving access to affordable community transport.
DriverNet uses AI to group patients by geolocation, triangulating mobile phone locations, before encouraging transport sharing. According to the developers, the app could reduce the 15 million missed NHS appointments each year by reducing patient travel costs.
A third project to be supported is the delivery of a remote platform for Earth observation learning.
All projects will receive £1.3m in funding following selection as part of a joint initiative between the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency, which has already provided one round of funding in July, worth £1.1m, to companies developing space based solutions for issues created by Covid-19.
