How drones for organ transportation are changing the healthcare industry

Based on statistics, the healthcare drone industry has witnessed a dramatic surge in recent years. In 2020, the market grew by 30% and is expected to grow from $254 million in 2021 to $1.5 billion in 2028. The most common use cases for healthcare drones are delivery of medical supplies and laboratory samples.

However, it seems that in 2022, a new way to use drones available. Research groups in the US have completed operational test operations for drone and organ delivery have managed to do it. How will the proliferation of drone organ transport affect the healthcare industry?

What is an organ transport drone?

Before we talk about how medical delivery drones can impact the healthcare industry, it’s worth investigating what they are and how they work.

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be operated remotely or that can fly autonomously using on-board sensors and GPS. The smallest drones can be as small as 30sm in length and weigh around 500 grams. The largest could reach track size and carry up to 4.5 tonnes.

Drones for organ transportation are in the middle. Organs are usually shipped in batches and can actually be quite onerous with all the ecosystem needed to maintain them in the desired state. Organ delivery drone capable carry goods up to 180kg. This drone is designed to transport vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and liver from one location to another in a safe and efficient manner.

Drones are capable of transporting objects over relatively short distances. While intra-city and inter-city shipping is possible, it’s probably too early to talk about international transportation. This limitation can be explained by the difficulty of piloting the drone as well as the very timely nature of organ transplants.

Why are organ transport drones so important?

Currently the organ delivery drone is still in the development and testing stage. However, a survey conducted among surgeons in the US suggests that this innovation may be very important for the field.

A survey by the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore have shown that 76.4% of organ transplant surgeons believe that reducing cold ischemia time to 8 hours, achieved through the use of organ delivery drones, will improve organ acceptability rates. In fact, reduced delivery times are one of the most significant benefits of using drones for organ delivery. Once the organs are removed from the body, they only have them 4 to 72 hours to transplant. The longer the waiting time, the higher the chance of organ failure during the transplant. Only 16% of surgeons believe the current transport system is sufficient for organ delivery needs. Clara Guerrero, communications director for the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, said in article for the San Antonio Report, ‘You save time. It also means more viable organs. That person, they didn’t have to wait too long for his organs to arrive. We are saving lives faster and faster’.

Other research have investigated the potential disadvantages and advantages of using organ transport drones as opposed to shipping by commercial aircraft and charter flights. They have used a modified six-rotor UAS to model organ delivery. During the transport process, they measure temperature and vibration levels. This is what they wrote:

“Temperatures remain stable and low (2.5°C). The change in pressure (0.37–0.86 kPa) correlates with the increase in altitude. Drone rides are associated with less vibration (<0,5 G) daripada yang diamati dengan penerbangan sayap tetap (>2.0 G). Top speed was 67.6 km/h (42 m/h). Kidney biopsies taken before and after organ delivery showed no damage from drone travel. The longest flight is 3.0 miles, modeling the flight of organs between two inner-city hospitals.”

— Joseph R. Scalea et al, University of Maryland

In the future, the use of drones for organ transportation may increase rapidly as technology advances. For example, advances in autonomous flight systems and improvements in battery technology could allow drones to fly farther and reach more remote locations. Additionally, the development of a drone delivery network could enable the delivery of organs to hospitals and other healthcare facilities in minutes, reducing the time vital organs are outside the human body.

Who makes drones for organ transportation?

Currently, there are several companies in the world that are working on making organ transplants a reality.

One such company is Ziplines, based in California, USA. The company has developed drones specifically for the transport of medical supplies, including blood and organs. These drones are capable of flying at high speeds and covering long distances, making them ideal for transporting organs between hospitals and other medical facilities.

another company, Internet material, also based in California and has developed similar drones for medical delivery. These drones are used to deliver diagnostic samples in Switzerland and can also be used to carry small organs.

A Canadian company Bioelectronics Unit specializes in fast and efficient delivery methods for organ transportation such as drones. The Indian government is jointly developing an organ delivery drone system.

In China, a company called EHang has developed drones that can transport organs and other medical supplies. These drones are capable of flying at high speeds and covering long distances, making them ideal for transporting organs between hospitals and other medical facilities.

In Europe, a company called Volocopter, based in Germany, has developed a drone specifically for the transport of organs. Drones are equipped with advanced navigation systems and can fly at high speeds, making them ideal for transporting organs between hospitals and other medical facilities.

In India, the first human organ delivery drone was developed by GM Health. It can be used to transport organs up to a distance of 20 kilometers.

Conclusion

The use of drone organ delivery represents a significant breakthrough in the field of organ transplantation. This innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize the way organs are transported, making the process faster, more efficient and more reliable than ever before. By reducing the time it takes to deliver organs to transplant centers, drones can help save many lives by ensuring that patients receive the organs they need on time. Also, by reducing the risk of organ damage during transport, drones can increase the success rate of organ transplants, resulting in better outcomes for patients. With the continued development of drone organ delivery technology, we can look forward to a future where organ transplantation is more accessible, reliable and effective than ever before.

tags: c-Health-Medicine