Drone project reaches ‘important milestone’ with final trial flights

23 December 2024, 07:04

Morning drone (002)
Morning drone (002). Picture: PA

The final flights for Project CAELUS involved medical products being flown between Dr Gary’s Hospital in Elgin and Aberdeen.

The final trial flights have taken place in a “ground-breaking initiative” that uses drones to transport medical products.

Project CAELUS involved drones travelling between Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin and Aberdeen over a three-week period between November and December.

AGS Airports – which includes Aberdeen Aiport – led the initiative, working with 15 other partners as part of the project, which was established with the aim of creating a national drone network to help with healthcare logistics.

Dr Jamie Hogg, clinical lead in the north for Project CAELUS trial said: “These test flights are the key to unlocking the huge potential of drone networks to support our NHS services.”

Adding that the trial built on earlier “successful live flight trials” that had taken place in and around NHS sites in Lothian, the Borders, Ayrshire and Arran and Glasgow, Dr Hogg said: “The North of Scotland and the islands stand to benefit from this research and innovation with the potential to be more patient-focused and sustainable.”

Meanwhile, Fiona Smith, the sustainability director at AGS Airports, said: “Project CAELUS is a truly ground-breaking initiative that not only transforms healthcare logistics but also demonstrates how drones can be safely and effectively integrated into modern airspace.”

She added that using such “innovative technology” allowed them to “deliver critical medical supplies like blood products and diagnostic samples in record time, improving patient outcomes and enhancing healthcare access for remote and rural communities”

Ms Smith said: “These trials showcase the potential of a future where drones are a seamless part of our airspace, working alongside traditional aviation to serve vital societal needs.”

Business and innovation minister Richard Lochhead said the completion of live trial flights was an ‘important milestone’ for the project (Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA)

Hazel Dempsey, national programme manager at NHS Grampian said: “NHS Grampian is proud to be the lead board for NHS Scotland on CAELUS and we are delighted to have worked alongside our fellow boards and to be closing the project with our industry partners on this, our final live flight trial.”

Business and innovation minister Richard Lochhead said he was pleased to have seen Project CAELUS progress further.

The Scottish Government minister said: “This is a pivotal example of industry, academia and the public sector working together to develop solutions to enhance our public services.

“The successful completion of live trials marks an important milestone in delivering the project, which promises a hugely promising solution to ensuring essential healthcare supplies are delivered where and when they are needed.”

The project took place after Dr Marco Fossati of the University of Strathclyde created a digital blueprint for a drone delivery network with his research team.

Dr Fossati said: “It has been fantastic to have been involved in this project, which emerged from research led by Strathclyde, and which has the potential to connect hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

Prime Minister hosts Chanukah reception

AI tech giants should not be subsidised by British creatives, Starmer signals

Dr Craig Wright arrives at the Rolls Building in London for the trial earlier this year (Lucy North/PA)

Computer scientist behind false Bitcoin founder claim sentenced for contempt

Google has been contacted for comment (PA)

ICO criticises Google over ‘irresponsible’ advertising tracking change

Some 22% of consumers have increased their use of second-hand shopping apps in the past three months (Depop/PA)

Millions of Britons earning average £146 a month on second-hand platforms

ChatGPT being used via WhatsApp

ChatGPT joins WhatsApp to allow anyone to access the AI chatbot

A Facebook home page on a laptop screen

Meta fined more than 250 million euro by Irish data commission following breach

Finger poised above WhatsApp app on smartphone

Ending use of WhatsApp is ‘clear admission’ Government was wrong, claim Tories

Phone with WhatsApp on the screen

Scottish Government to cease use of WhatsApp by spring, says Forbes

Open AI

OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT search engine tool to all users

Most people happy to share health data to develop artificial intelligence

Government launches consultation on copyrighted material being used to train AI

Debbie Weinstein

Google names UK executive as president for Europe, Middle East and Africa

The Apple App store app on an iPad (PA)

Shopping and Roblox named among most popular Apple App Store downloads of 2024

A young child lies on a couch while playing on a smartphone

Q&A: Ofcom, the Online Safety Act, and codes of practice for social media

A girl using a mobile phone

Ofcom’s new online harms rules for social media firms disappoint campaigners

A man in a hoodie in front of several computer monitors

Peers urge ministers to step-up efforts to criminalise deepfake abuse

Exclusive
‘The law is really slow in catching up’: Woman fights for justice after friend made deepfake porn of her

‘The law is really slow in catching up’: Woman fights for justice after friend made deepfake porn of her