Medical Drone BVLOS Flight Over Urban Area In Belgium

In Belgium, the first medical drone BVLOS flight over an urban area and out of sight of the pilot was carried out last Wednesday according to the new EASA rules. The flight was performed with an X-8 multicopter developed by SABCA with an integrated parachute. Together with operator Helicus, it took no less than three years to prepare this first demonstration flight.

First medical drone flight under EASA rules

A medical drone offers the promise of making healthcare logistics a lot more efficient and faster in the future. For example, emergency medical supplies, blood samples, and donated blood can be transported between hospitals and laboratories without experiencing road congestion. But then the drones must be able to fly over urban areas, and that has been a tricky point from a Legal and regulatory point of view until now.

The new EASA regulations offer the possibility to perform such drone flights, provided the operator takes the necessary mitigating measures and can…