Drones could be used to deliver medicines to remote parts of the country, according to £20 million development plans
- The UK Space Agency has invested £20 million to develop new applications for drones
- In a trial on the Isle of Wight, chemotherapy drugs were flown in from Portsmouth
Drones could be used to deliver medicines to remote parts of the country, as part of plans to put the devices to better use.
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has invested £20 million to help technology companies develop new applications for drones.
Ministers hope companies will find efficient ways to better connect rural communities, including using satellite technology to quickly transport drugs in areas where other modes of travel can be time consuming.
The technology could be crucial both in emergencies and more routine medical appointments, and could also improve internet connectivity in areas where signal is traditionally patchy.
Chloe Smith, secretary of science, innovation and technology, said: ‘From using drones to quickly deliver medicines to hospitals to boosting mobile network access in remote areas, the benefits of airborne connectivity cut through many aspects of our lives’ .
The UK Space Agency has invested £20 million to help technology companies develop new uses for drones (File photo: A drone carries a first aid kit)
During a trial on the Isle of Wight, drones transported chemotherapy drugs across the Solent from Portsmouth (File photo: A woman prepares a drone at Southampton Hospital)
It follows a trial on the Isle of Wight in which chemotherapy drugs were flown in from Portsmouth across the Solent – a 30-minute flight that would have saved the islanders a round trip of up to four hours.
The UKSA said projects could include developing connectivity for aerial platforms that can switch seamlessly between satellite and terrestrial networks, or traffic management for innovative vehicles such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft – known as ‘flying taxis’.