Enabling UK Inter-site Medical Delivery Drone Operations: Meeting the logistical and operational challenges presented by SARS-CoV-2

新冠肺炎危机凸显了无人机作为跨地点医疗物流的一种替代、弹性、快速、灵活的运输方式的潜在好处。这一认识是在物资、手术工具和样本的库存非常需要，但不一定在正确的时间出现在正确的地点。无人机的使用支持了社会距离，限制了交叉污染，并减少了医疗和后勤人员面临的不必要的健康风险。然而，从医疗保健社区的角度来看，知识和理解差距以及整合常规无人机行动的实际操作和有形基础设施能力差距是显著的。该项目将创建和验证国家操作标准和技术要求，使中心工作人员能够安全地在英国医疗中心之间发送、飞行中监控和接收医疗用品。项目合作伙伴将与米尔顿·凯恩斯、贝德福德和卢顿&Dunstant医院密切合作，具体如下：1.通过国家影响研究确定医疗无人机飞行行动在哪里以及如何在最短的时间内提供最大的需求2\。通过与医院和NHS Trusts3合作，创建英国第一套标准操作程序(SOP)，用于无人机启用的常规递送操作。在医院环境中演示；医院工作人员使用SOPs4进行自动起飞、远程驾驶和精确无人机着陆。演示医院工作人员通过BVLOS无人机往返医院飞行发送和接收医疗使用包裹。通过模拟了解未来全国关键医疗服务的空域管理和操作要求。

Covid-19 crisis highlighted the potential benefits of using drones as an alternative, resilient, fast, flexible transport mode for inter-sites medical logistics. This recognition came at a time when inventories of supplies, surgical tools, samples were badly needed, but were not necessarily at the right place at the right time.The use of drones supports social distancing, limits cross-contamination, and reduces medical and logistics staff exposure to unnecessary health risk. Yet, from the medical and healthcare communities' perspective, the knowledge and understanding gap, as well as the practical operational and physical infrastructure capability gaps to integrate routine drone operations are significant.This project will create and validate national operational standards and technical requirements enabling the secure despatch, in-flight monitoring and receipt of medical supplies between UK medical centres by centre staff. The project partners, working closely with Milton Keynes, Bedford and Luton & Dunstable hospitals, will specifically;1\. Identify through national impact study where and how medical drone flight operations can deliver the greatest need within the shortest timescales2\. Create the first UK set of standard operational procedures (SOPs) for routine drone enabled delivery operations through collaboration with hospitals & NHS trusts3\. Demonstrate within hospital environments; the automatic take-off, remote piloting and precision drone landing by hospital staff using SOPs4\. Demonstrate the launch and receipt of a medical use package via BVLOS drone flight from/to a hospital by hospital staff.5\. Understand through simulations the air space management and operational requirements for future critical medical delivery nationally.