ANWB conducts successful medical drone flights across three countries

The ANWB, in collaboration with Austrian and Swiss mobility clubs, has successfully completed simultaneous medical drone flights in three countries. These flights were managed from The Hague and mark a significant advancement in the research into the feasibility of a European medical drone operation.

One drone operated in a test area in Valkenburg, South Holland, another flew in Austria’s forests, and a third traveled between two hospitals in Switzerland, covering about 60 kilometers.

Simon Prent, manager of ANWB Medical Drones, emphasized the challenges of operating drones beyond visual line of sight. "Flying a drone out of your line of sight is already challenging, let alone operating one from a single location across three countries at the same time," he stated.

The use of drones in medical transport can significantly improve the delivery of supplies such as blood, medications, and medical equipment to remote or difficult-to-access areas, thereby shortening response times during emergencies.

The ANWB expressed optimism about the future of international drone operations, stating, "Now that it's been demonstrated that drones can fly internationally, there's an opportunity to build a larger network of drones. Such a network would make drone operations more cost-effective and provide an innovative solution for medical transport."