London hospitals used to test drone deliveries

London could one day see medical supplies delivered between its hospitals by drone, but only if government regulation catches up with the rest of the world, a new report released today has claimed.

The vision of a "drone delivery network" ferrying pathology samples, blood products and equipment between medical centres around the capital was analysed as part of Nesta’s Flying High project, which assessed the impact of the technology across five UK regions.

Nesta, a charitable organisation based in Britain which seeks to promote technological innovation, modelled delivery flights between Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals in order to asses the feasibility of its proposal.

Other case studies included utilising the pilotless technology to; assist the emergency services in the West Midlands, enhance the fire service in Bradford, support regeneration work in Preston, and supply NHS hospitals around the Solent.

Efforts to deliver these projects will drive innovation in drone development whilst helping to establish a programme of public and political engagement on the issue, the report suggests.

The Flying High report also recommends updating regulations to reflect advances in drone technology, particularly around the management of urban airspace, and advises further investment in infrastructure to support drones is needed.

But the document warns the UK currently lags behind its competitors when it comes to ensuring it has the right polices to fully utilise the technology.

The US, EU and Singapore are especially advanced in this respect, having taken bigger steps towards reforming regulation and supporting businesses with innovative ideas.

Flying High cites PwC research suggesting the benefits of drone technology could amount to a £42billion boost to Britain’s economy (worth 2 per cent of GDP) by 2030, as an incentive for the government, private enterprise and public services to cooperate on delivering its recommendations.

Aviation Minister Liz Sugg, welcomed the report and said the government was already taking steps to implement its proposals.

She said: “The Flying High project is a fantastic example of how much drones can help us in our daily lives.

“Drones have the potential to bring great social and economic benefits to the country and we want the UK to be a global leader in drone services.

“We have begun introducing a world class legal framework to ensure this exciting technology is used safely and responsibly to help the industry thrive.”

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