We’ve seen drones delivering food and household essentials on command, drones inspecting railway tracks and power lines, drones inspecting subway tunnels, and firefighting drones for putting out high-rise fires. However, defibrillator-equipped drones are particularly special as they can save lives.
On December 9, 2021, for the first time in medical history, an autonomous drone helped save the life of a 71-year-old cardiac arrest patient in Trollhättan, Sweden. The man experienced a cardiac arrest while shoveling snow and was saved by a nearby doctor after a drone flew in a defibrillator. “I can’t put into words how thankful I am to this new technology and the speedy delivery of the defibrillator. If it weren’t for the drone, I probably wouldn’t be here”, expressed the patient who has made a full recovery.
In a study published on August 26, 2021, in the journal European Heart, Swedish researchers deployed this technology for the first time in real-world scenarios. They found that, on average, the drone arrived well ahead of ambulance crews.
Every second counts in getting that equipment to the scene! Brain death and fatality can occur within minutes when a person suffers a cardiac arrest, making the chances of survival slim for those who experience them outside of a hospital. However, immediate treatment involving CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) can significantly increase the odds of survival.
In 2014, a student-designed “Ambulance Drone” with an integrated webcam was developed. The drone was designed to drop a defibrillator off at the scene, then allow experts to guide the ground crew on how to use it. Meanwhile, in 2017, scientists at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute carried out simulation tests showing how these drones could transport defibrillators to cardiac arrest patients four times as quickly as an ambulance. The latest study also comes from researchers at the Karolinska Institute but involves real-life incidences of cardiac arrest.
Andreas Claesson, the lead researcher, highlighted:
This is the first time in the world that a research group can report results from a study where drones flew defibrillators to the location of real-life alerts of suspected cardiac arrest.
The pilot project saw drones used to dispatch defibrillators to sites of cardiac arrest throughout four months in 2020. The drones were deployed in twelve out of 53 alerts for suspected cardiac arrests, with the AED arriving eleven times. The drones traveled approximately 2 mi (3.1 km) and came before the ambulance seven times, with an average time difference of one minute and 52 seconds. However, none were used before the ambulance arrived.
Claesson added:
Since this study was completed, we have identified several areas of improvement. Therefore, in April 2021, we began a follow-up study with a more optimized system. In that study, we want to test if we can use the drones in more alerts and reduce the response time further and thereby increase the time benefit as compared to the ambulance.
Every minute without treatment in the early stages reduces the chance of survival by around 10%, and that is why we believe this new method of delivery has the potential to save lives.
Other drones with incredible life-saving potential include the Windracers ULTRA – a car-sized drone that can carry 220lb (100kg) loads over 620 miles (1,000km). In 2020, it completed its first successful delivery of medical supplies across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
In some remote regions of the world, including the Isle of Wight, it’s challenging and costly to deliver essential supplies, such as medication, to hospitals and clinics. Likoma and Chizumulu, small islands on Lake Malawi in Africa, are also good examples of places where access to health services is a perpetual problem.
To get to the islands, you have to take a boat, and there’s only one old ferry leaving port once a week to connect the two islands to the Nkhata Bay district. Fortunately, drones can help solve the problem of regions like these, getting medicines to where they are needed, whenever they are required.
Drones could even deliver emergency medical supplies during the rainy season when rains have made many roads impassable. By transporting crucial supplies such as blood transfusion kits, vaccines, malaria drugs, and antibiotics to their destination within hours, they could save lives. Besides, delivery by drones is faster, easier, and cheaper than by other modes of transportation.
