Spright, the drone division of air medical service provider Air Methods, is joining forces with Oregon-based Interpath Laboratory to launch a drone delivery network that can transport lab specimens from remote and rural areas quickly.
A BVLOS 15-mile test flight conducted last week with the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center to Interpath’s main medical laboratory location in Oregon’s Pendleton saw a Wingcopter 198 drone being used to reduce the turnaround time of critical diagnostic test results greatly.
The current process for Interpath laboratory services works something like this: Patient samples are taken throughout the day, and then they are batched together for pick-up by ground vehicles in the evening for delivery to the lab. These vehicles typically drive thousands of miles each day across the region to pick up specimens from numerous clinics, hospitals, and facilities.
In contrast, the new medical drone delivery initiative will enable samples to be…
