Ambulance Drone Delivers A Defibrillator By Air

Drones pose some legitimate safety concerns in certain circumstances, something the FAA is diligently working to address. The Ambulance Drone is different, aiming to improve the quality of emergency medical treatment by deploying a defibrillator when needed. The drone was created by Technical University of Delft engineer Alex Momont, and with it potentially life-saving medical equipment can be transported to a location within five square miles in about a minute. The Ambulance Drone can be used to deliver more than just a defibrillator, too.

Says the maker, the Ambulance Drone can also be used to deliver things like medication and CPR aids, among the defibrillator and other things, for emergency situations like heart attacks, drowning, instances where emergency medication is needed, and more. The rapid deployment would fill the time gap between the emergency event and when emergency services arrive, potentially saving lives.

The first prototype features an Automated Defibrillator, as seen in the image above, which plays out a scenario in which the Ambulance Drone is needed. As shown in the video, the drone would also provide video and audio support to those nearby, allowing professionals to offer guidance on how to properly use the medical equipment.

The Ambulance Drone was, interestingly enough, created as part of a thesis research project. What it would take to get such drones in the air is unknown at this point, and could prove difficult with the upcoming FAA proposal on restricting drone usage.

SOURCE: GigaOm