North Dakota Drone Delivery: “Medical Supplies Transported 80 Miles in 35 Minutes”
North Dakota hosted a game-changing delivery late last month when a Supervolo drone operated by iSight, flew medical supplies 80 miles from Williston to Watford City in just 35 minutes, reports a press release. This is half the time of traditional transportation.
Part of ‘Project Rural Reach’, and with the University of North Dakota’s Centre for Innovation and Vantis leading the trial, this BVLOS mission showed that drones can bridge critical gaps in remote areas, potentially saving lives where every minute counts. The Project is a federally funded initiative led by UND’s Centre for Innovation.
Jeff Barta, project manager at UND’s Centre for Innovation, commented, “Instead of a delivery taking 60 to 90 minutes from start to finish, UAS technology can complete emergency medication deliveries in 35 minutes. Those saved minutes could mean the difference between life and death, especially in underserved rural areas.”
The flight navigated a busy uncontrolled airspace offering a strong test for BVLOS. North Dakota’s Vantis network, the nation’s first statewide UAS system, was key, providing real-time surveillance and command-and-control to ensure safe navigation. The 6 ft long, 10-foot wingspan drone, delivered its payload successfully, showcasing the potential to revolutionise rural healthcare logistics.
Erin Roesler, Deputy Executive Director of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), remarked, “What makes this operation so impactful is that it proves BVLOS can be done safely, even in complex, real-world rural environments.”
Project Rural Reach, is funded by the U.S Economic Development Administration’s ARPA program. It aims to integrate drones into rural healthcare infrastructure.
The control room used for the medical flight
iSight Drone Services received USD50,000 to test long-range deliveries, with goals to support reliable access to medical supplies, sustainable operations via renewable power, and rapid emergency response.
Peter Edis, CEO of McKenzie Health, said, “The use of drones has the potential to enhance the delivery of health care by rapidly transporting crucial lab samples, medications, and supplies to and from remote clinics.”
This trial is the first of three planned use cases, with future flights set to explore disaster response and partnerships with emergency responders.
For more information
https://und.edu/innovation/index.html
(Top image: A Vantis drone ready for take off)
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