Drones can help to narrow the inequality gap between rural and urban areas.
https://www.facebook.com/WEFvideo/videos/390689581690001/
FLY SMART, FLY SAFE
A GROUP OF Irish-based scientists have completed what is being described as the first ever delivery of diabetes medicine using a type of drone technology off the coast of Co Galway.
Researchers from NUI Galway successfully piloted the drone from Na Mine airport in Connemara to the airstrip on Inis Mór on the Aran Islands, where it completed a delivery of insulin and glucagon. The drone was successfully piloted to Inis Mór by researchers from NUI Galway. The drone also collected a sample of patient’s blood from Inis Mór, before returning to the Connemara airport.
Its round trip journey – described as the world’s first ‘beyond visual line of sight drone delivery’ of the medicines – took around 32 minutes to complete. The 21km journey was supported by the Irish Aviation Authority and took place between commercial flights, showing the possibility of future deliveries within planned corridors.
As the drone flew, its launch team had a live first-person view camera feed from the aircraft so that they could maintain their vision once the drone flew beyond their line of sight. Meanwhile, a second team on Inis Mór also had a ground control station where they could monitor the location of the drone before it landed at its destination.
The head of the project, Professor Derek O’Keeffe of NUI Galway, explained why the capability to deliver insulin and medications in times of crisis, particularly during extreme weather events, is needed.
“Climate change means that these types of severe weather events are becoming more prevalent,” he said. “Individuals and communities in rural locations can become isolated for days after a severe weather event and an emergency may arise where patients can run out of their medicine. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to develop a solution for these emergencies, which addresses the clinical,technical and regulatory issues before a sentinel event occurs.”
Drones have previously delivered other medical supplies such as defibrilators, blood and organs.
However, it is hoped that this latest delivery will provide a blueprint for those seeking to bring supplies to more remote locations in future.
Rupert Dent, ARPAS-UK Regulations Director, commented: “We were delighted to hear about the successful delivery of insulin by Drone from the Irish mainland to the Aran Islands, with a blood sample being carried on the return flight. We fully support this initiative, which is another sign of Drones being used for positive societal benefits. Drones are currently being used in Africa for delivery of medical supplies and the potential for them to be used for these purposes elsewhere in the world is very significant.”
From The Journal.ie
16th September 2019
Dangerous Jobs: can tech make them safer?
Earlier in the year, ARPAS-UK was approached to help find people and companies to feature in the following podcast. We’re delighted that ARPAS-UK member, Surrey Search & Rescue were successful.
Listen to James Russell talk to Jason Bradbury and Stuart Witts about using drones in dangerous places with Surrey Search & Rescue. He’s the first person interviewed at about 3.25 minutes in.
Brecon Mountain Rescue Team has been authorised to use drones for searches.
Over the next 6-12 months the team’s 7 CAA licensed drone pilots will be developing a drone search and rescue service.
The team has been developing a waterproof search drone with the ability to lift small items and is due to take delivery shortly.
They say the drone under development will be able to deliver vital medical supplies, like a defibrillator, directly to a casualty site. The team is also hoping to develop techniques to guide and assist lost walkers making such operations less resource and time consuming.
ARPAS Statement – BBC 2 Documentary “Britain’s Next Air Disaster? Drones?” – Aired Mon 1 Jul 2019
ARPAS members have expressed deep concern and criticism of the BBC Two documentary, ‘Britain’s Next Air Disaster? Drones?’, which aired on Monday 1 July 2019 and which focussed heavily on the illegal and malevolent use of drones in UK airspace, exaggerated the risks and presented a one-sided view that has the potential to harm the livelihood of ARPAS members.
ARPAS acknowledges that mid-air collision, unauthorised flight within restricted and sensitive airspace as well as deliberate nefarious use, are the most credible causes of a serious incident involving a drone but a balanced assessment of risk is always a combination of severity and likelihood. ARPAS believes the programme overemphasised the former and neglected to realistically assess the latter.
As a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a responsibility to provide its viewers with balanced reporting which, on this occasion, we believe it failed to do. ARPAS is the UK’s trade association representing the unmanned aviation industry and we would hope that in the future, programme makers ask us to contribute in order to gain a more balanced view.
ARPAS vigorously supports the legal, safe and legitimate uses of drones and strongly believes this represents the vast majority of recreational users and all the commercial users amongst its members for whom it will continue to advocate.
ARPAS has raised a complaint with the BBC and contacted BBC Points of View. We encourage you to do the same.
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Drone technology presents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses and society. From reducing traffic on our roads, to speeding up the delivery of aid and urgent medical supplies, there is much drones can do. They are already proving an excellent tool for businesses, who are using drones to better manage and maintain their assets and reduce the amount of working at height. They are also capable of going into hostile or inaccessible environments for the purposes of search and rescue or research, relaying images and data and bringing new capabilities to sectors such as the emergency services, academia and the scientific community.
But to deliver on the promise of drones, it is important the public is on-side and businesses see and understand the potential. To achieve these goals there are some hurdles to overcome.
PwC research into public and business attitudes towards drones has revealed less than a third (31%) of the UK public currently feel positive towards drone technology.
Our research also found many people are unsure and waiting to be convinced. Others admit they simply don’t know enough about the technology. One member of the public described drones as “amazing but scary”. A business respondent said they are “not sure what [drones] are capable of doing”.
Public and business trust is there to be won. But to do so requires three factors to be addressed: Education, Accountability and Reward and Benefit. It is human nature that we trust things more when we understand them, when we know who to contact if something goes wrong, and we know what’s in it for us.
Read more: https://www.pwc.co.uk/trustindrones
The research was carried out during April 2019 by Opinium. It surveyed 1,520 UK adults, sampled and weighted to be representative of the UK adult population, and 252 senior business decision makers in sectors likely to see increased drone usage.