by Michael Willoughby
Avy has launched a “lifesaving” wing drone to transport blood and medicine between blood banks.
The craft (seen in this video) flies autonomously, has a one hour flight time and can cover up to 70 kilometres and will be used in a pilot medical drone service to investigate the safe and reliable transport of blood products and medicines between blood banks and hospitals over the next three years.
This service is being jointly trialled by ANWB Medical Air Assistance (Dutch Air Ambulance) and PostNL (Dutch Postal and Parcel service) together with medical partners Erasmus MC and Sanquin, and technology partners KPN and Avy.
The team is looking at how drones can be used for delivering blood, medicines and diagnostic samples to patients and care locations. They aim to investigate what contribution drones can make when supplying care at the right place and at the right time.
Mr Patrique Zaman, founder of Avy: “We use drone technology to have a positive impact on the world by saving lives. Avy flies autonomously and can cover long distances thanks to its wings, and can transport packages of 1.5 kilos in cold chain conditions. We took to the air because we don’t want road traffic to slow us down, and we have the possibility to reach our destination in a straight line. Avy is a ‘wing drones for good’ company and produces zero emissions. You may just call it the superhero of this new technological era.”
Mrs Petra van Saaze, Director of ANWB Medical Air Assistance (MAA): “Medical Drone Service has chosen Avy because of Avy’s experience in Africa. Medical Drones Service and ANWB chose Avy because of its social objective and purpose of developing ’drones for good’. The Avy V-TOL wing drone makes taking off and landing vertically possible, without the need for infrastructure such as a runway. Its wings ensure that relatively long distances can be covered, which is in line with the plans for delivering medical goods. In addition, Avy presents a wonderful Dutch product. It works very well together with local suppliers and makes it easy for communication.”
For more information
https://www.avy.eu/stories/press-release-launch-of-the-avy-wing-drone
