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Drones Could Soon Be Used To Deliver Medical Supplies in North Carolina (newsobserver.com)

Posted by msmash on from the interesting-moves dept.

Drones could soon be ferrying blood and other medical supplies to hospitals and clinics in North Carolina if the N.C. Department of Transportation's bid to be part of a federal test program is approved. From a report: NCDOT is leading a team of private companies that proposes to set up a network of distribution centers that would use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to make medical deliveries in North Carolina. The drone delivery companies, including Matternet and Zipline, operate overseas but not in the U.S. "We're really excited that drone technology may allow doctors and hospitals to save more lives in North Carolina soon," Bobby Walston, the state Director of Aviation, said in a statement. "We've been researching and investing in drone technology for years at NCDOT. This proposal represents the next big step for us as we remain a national leader in the UAS field." The North Carolina proposal is one of about 210 applications to the Federal Aviation Administration's Drone Integration Pilot Program, a three-year effort launched by the Trump administration last fall to test drones for various purposes to help determine how to safely expand the use of commercial drones in the U.S.

32 comments

  1. I know some folks who work medical transport by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    pays well for a driving job, local runs (natch). Looks like they're first on the chopping block. Sucks, for most of them it means going back to being a part running (the original 'gig' economy since most parts shops use "contractors" so they can pay effectively less than minimum wage).

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    1. Re:I know some folks who work medical transport by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      Time is of the essence in medical delivery. If flying it gets it there faster than driving it in traffic, then this is a big win for the patient -- and that's more important than the wages of the delivery driver!

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    2. Re:I know some folks who work medical transport by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bullshit, the delay has never been in delivery itself.

    3. Re:I know some folks who work medical transport by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I worked in the 2nd largest US blood bank for about a decade.
      We used a combination of drivers, volunteer pilots and over-night shipping to get blood from where it was processed to where it would be used.

      Throughout it all we had to protect both the blood and the public (from a potential bio-hazard), and I would frankly hate to deal with the potential of a drone splashing a few pints of blood about

      I am not saying that it is a absolute NO, but the FDA and a lot of regulators would need to be convinced that it was safe for the patient, safe for the public and that they could absolutely very chain of custody over the entire transfer

  2. in other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Drone hijacking soon to become a profitable criminal enterprise in north carolina

    1. Re:in other news by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

      Because black market organs and blood have a YUGE street value???

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    2. Re:in other news by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      But the location of such a shipment (with finite shelf life) has good blackmail value.

    3. Re:in other news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i think the word you mean is "ransom".

    4. Re:in other news by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

      No, ransom implies that you're giving the original owner exclusive access to buy their own stuff back.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  3. Zipline?! by the_skywise · · Score: 1

    The drone delivery companies, including Matternet and Zipline,

    Now I have visions of wires from the distribution center to every house and they just slide the drugs down. (Think how green that would be!)

    Might as well just do pneumatic tubes again...

  4. This might make sense by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

    I usually insist that drone delivery is a bad idea because there is no way of insuring the item is delivered to it's intended recipient. However, if you're delivering to an existing helipad on top of a hospital, it sounds pretty safe. (The other way to effectively "sign" for packages would be to require the phone the item was ordered with to be within bluetooth range of the delivery; with adequate encryption technology, that might work. The current "just leave it on the doorstep" delivery method seems insane to me.)

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    1. Re:This might make sense by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      The current "just leave it on the doorstep" delivery method is already insane.

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      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:This might make sense by cwsumner · · Score: 1

      ... The current "just leave it on the doorstep" delivery method seems insane to me.)

      That's true in a lot of places. But where I live now (VA Mtns) all the packages are left in the doorstep and I have never heard of anyone loosing anything.

      Of course, it's a small town, people know their neighbors, and most people own guns. And some people are retired and are home during the day, to watch out for trouble. And, the citizens consider the police to be friends and allies...

    3. Re: This might make sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What planet do you live on?

    4. Re: This might make sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where I live in the US, people don't lock their doors unless they will begone for more than a few days.

      However,there aren't many people here, and neither USPS nor UPS make deliveries.

  5. I could soon by 110010001000 · · Score: 2

    I could soon be visiting Mars. I could soon be dating a supermodel. I could soon join the NBA.

  6. "Medicine" by apoc.famine · · Score: 0

    So, moonshine and meth?

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    Velociraptor = Distiraptor / Timeraptor
    1. Re:"Medicine" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Opiods. Oxycontin, Neocontin, and now Fentanyl and Carfentanyl.

      Soon there will be Truckfentanyl, I'm sure!

    2. Re:"Medicine" by Kierthos · · Score: 1

      Eh, if it's making deliveries to hospital personnel, it's more likely to be cigarettes and booze.

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      Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
    3. Re:"Medicine" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is known as W18 (apparently for 18 wheels)

  7. Because NC has no roads or truckers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    THIS is what class warfare looks like.

  8. I knew things were bad in North Carolina... by PvtVoid · · Score: 2

    ... but I thought they still had a functioning road system.

  9. Screenplay Ideas Galore! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Drones could soon be ferrying blood and other medical supplies

  10. Good idea! by DaMattster · · Score: 1

    This is actually a very good idea and an excellent use of drones. As roads become more and more clogged, it can be difficult to get medical supplies to a hospital in emergent situations. It goes without saying that flying delivery drones will alleviate this problem. This might also work really well in situations where organs need to be transported. Often organs for transport are first flown to the nearest airport and then placed in a car or van for the "last mile" transport. Imagine if a drone stands ready and waiting to provide that "last mile" option. It means getting the organ to the hospital much faster and potentially more reliably.

  11. Why North Carolina ? by swell · · Score: 1

    So, let's see; places like Illinois, Nebraska and Colorado don't need this service, but North Carolina does. What's different there? Poor roads? Few medical facilities? Impoverished population? All the above?

    Why not address those problems first? Oh, the cost! So just fly the drones in and ignore the real problems.

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    ...omphaloskepsis often...
    1. Re: Why North Carolina ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In western North Carolina, cops let the road enforce the speed limit.
      They are tend to be lax on enforcing drunk driving laws.
      Their rational: If you survive your accident you won't break that law again.
      However, the odds are the accident will kill you.
      Mountain roads are like that.

  12. NEWS ALERT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can see and hear the news alert now.

    "A drone crashed while delivering a heart to be used in an open heart surgery". The heart was pronounced dead at the crash site, and the patient on the operating table died a short time later."

  13. Priorities by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 1

    Maybe they should look at expanding their Medicaid program to cover more people before buying new toys.

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    That is all.
  14. I remember by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... ferrying blood and other medical supplies to hospitals and clinics ...

    I remember, in the 1980s, somewhere in the USA used carrier pigeons to ferry blood and pathology samples.

  15. Heroin Drones? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    seems like there could be issues.

  16. maybe you need a brain delivered by drone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe they should look at expanding their Medicaid program to cover more people before buying new toys.

    maybe the NCDOT is not the right organization to look at expanding Medicaid