A unique experiment in Europe is currently being carried out in the English Channel.
This involves transporting medical analysis samples by drone.
The first results are promising, as shown in this report from TF1.
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In Manche, if you are about to take a simple blood test, know that your sample has every chance of traveling in the air the distance that separates it from the Cerballiance treatment center in Granville. Because to reach him, he risks being transported by a drone. Before the flight, one precaution is important: “we will weigh the package so as not to exceed the drone’s load, which could have an impact on the battery life”, explains Fabrice Martins Amaral, supervisor, in the TF1 news report to see above.
This medical analysis laboratory is conducting a unique experiment in Europe. The objective is to reduce sample transport time, particularly for serious pathologies. “This will allow us, for example, to take care of an emergency and quickly return the result to the prescriber”, specifies the supervisor. Another innovation, at the time of takeoff, there is no remote pilot, the drone is entirely autonomous. Its journey is scheduled in an air corridor and monitored remotely by a company specializing in this transport.
“It is programmed under human supervision. The whole challenge on this type of project is to convince civil aviation that we are operating in complete safety, which is the absolute priority of this type of operation. What we have succeeded in demonstrating”, assures Gautier Dhaussy, co-manager of Delivrone. The drone will cover a distance of 50 kilometers, at a speed of 110 km/h. At the moment it is only in the testing phase. It is therefore Philippe who ensures the transport of the rest of the samples by car. “Direction Saint-Lô. There are 70 kilometers for an hour’s journey”he said.
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An hour by car versus 30 minutes by drone, it’s therefore twice as fast and above all more ecological. “The carbon impact of a drone trip is only 5% of a car trip, so 20 times less. Today, it’s a solution that is expensive, that’s true. Our bet is to say that tomorrow, it will be a solution that will not be more expensive than the car”, underlines Doctor Antoine Prigent, general director of Cerballiance Normandie. The company hopes to have the line operational by the end of the year. She is already planning to open others in France.
