On Monday 27 February, the first experimental flight with a drone in Italy to transport blood tubes from the sampling points to the analysis centres. This opens up the possibility, in the future, of giving all patients in any location, even remote, the opportunity to take advantage of the analyzes of large state-of-the-art laboratories. He announces it in a note released today Cerba HealthCare Italy – a reality engaged in outpatient diagnostics and clinical analyzes with 400 offices throughout the country – which carried out the first experimental tests of advanced air mobility in various offices of the healthcare facility in the metropolitan area of Milan, in particular the sampling centers of Opera and Rozzano. The flights were operated by the Nimbus company which designed and built the drone and the sample containment system, under the supervision of D-Flight, the Enav group company which provides drone traffic management services, and by Enac (National Civil Aviation Authority) to follow the standardization of the ‘dangerous goods’ containment system.
“This is the first air transport of blood samples yet to be analyzed that is tested in Italy by drone – he explains Michele DeChiricoChief operation officer of Cerba HealthCare Italia – We are enthusiastic about the positive outcome of the tests: the transport of materials included among those ‘dangerous’ (dangerous goods) demonstrates the possibility of bringing the patient closer to a timely and widespread service. The truly innovative aspect of the project – he underlines – is the possibility of combining a proximity health service that is easily accessible by the patient with the clinical quality guaranteed by the execution of the analyzes on a large laboratory platform. It is a question of shortening the time between the execution of the sampling and the outcome of the analyzes, but not only: also of improving assistance to patients in more remote and less easily accessible areas with traditional means of logistics”.
In particular, “it was chosen to perform the flight in ‘BVLOS’ mode – adds De Chirico – that is, without visual contact of the pilot with the drone, making the experiment as close as possible to the real conditions that will characterize these flights in the future. The result of today’s tests pushes us to continue on the path of innovation”. In fact, Cerba HealthCare Italia aims to bring this possibility throughout the country in the coming years, becoming a point of reference for the local communities of the country.
The flights – reads the note – took place on Monday 27 February, in automatic mode, with take-off and landing in a controlled fenced area (3×3 meters). The drone – a hexarotor with ballistic parachute, dual communication channel and flight termination system verified by EASA – which weighed about 25 kg with its payload, was operated by a remote pilot. To make experimentation even more realistic, ad hoc procedures have been developed for the management of dangerous goods.
The aircraft took off and finished the operation without a hitch for the samples to be analysed, which traveled in a specially designed and certified box following numerous drop tests. The analyzes performed upon arrival certified the biological integrity of the samples. All safety measures have been taken with the drone which is therefore confirmed as a precious ally, as well as a sustainable ‘full electric’ solution, to avoid delays and impediments connected to city traffic on long or particularly congested routes.
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