NHS drones cross Firth of Clyde in latest CAELUS trial

Over a period of three weeks, flights took place between University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock to the Arran War Memorial on the Isle of Arran.

Scenarios designed by NHS Scotland were tested, including simulating blood products being transferred by drone to a patient in urgent need of medical attention. Tests were also carried out exploring how NHS staff would engage with the drone both physically and digitally.

The Firth of Clyde tests are just the latest instalment in the wide-ranging Project CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland). Running since December 2020, CAELUS has seen more than a dozen consortium partners working together to deliver the UK’s first national drone network for medical supplies and blood delivery.

“Project CAELUS continues to work hard and be at the cutting edge of innovation,” said Fiona Smith, CAELUS project director. “Our goal is to build a national drone network that can transport essential medicines, blood, and other medical supplies efficiently, particularly for Scotland's rural and island communities.

“This technology could provide quicker diagnostic results and treatment decisions, ultimately improving patient care across the country.”

Scotland’s rugged geography and remote communities make it an ideal testbed for drone logistics. According to Strathclyde University, a partner in the CAELUS consortium, transferring medical samples from the Isle of Arran to and from mainland hospitals can take up to five hours via roads and ferries. By contrast, the drone flights carried out during the trial took 30 minutes.

Project CAELUS is led by AGS Airports, with NHS Grampian the lead health board for the programme.    

"NHS Grampian is pleased to be working with NHS Ayrshire and Arran and the West of Scotland Innovation Hub to further understand the benefits this technology could bring to healthcare delivery in island Communities,” said Karen Bell, National NHS programme lead for CAELUS.