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

新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，即2019冠状病毒病）危机凸显了使用无人机作为站点间医疗物流的替代、弹性、快速、灵活的运输模式的潜在好处。这一认识是在急需物资、手术工具和样本库存，但不一定在正确的时间出现在正确的地点的时候得到的。无人机的使用支持了社交距离，限制了交叉污染，并减少了医疗和物流人员暴露于不必要的健康风险。然而，从医疗和保健界的角度来看，知识和理解的差距，以及实际操作和物理基础设施能力的差距，以整合常规无人机操作是显着的。该项目将创建和验证国家操作标准和技术要求，使安全发送，飞行中监测和接收医疗用品之间的英国医疗中心的中心工作人员。该项目的合作伙伴，密切合作，与米尔顿凯恩斯，贝德福德和卢顿和邓斯特布尔医院，将具体;1\。通过国家影响研究确定医疗无人机飞行操作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信托机构合作，为常规无人机交付操作创建英国第一套标准操作程序（SOP）。在医院环境中演示;医院工作人员使用SOP 4\自动起飞、远程驾驶和精确的无人机着陆。演示由医院工作人员通过BVLOS无人机从/到医院的飞行发射和接收医疗用途包。通过模拟了解未来全国关键医疗服务的空域管理和业务要求。

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.