Skyports Drone Services Showcases Medical Drone Delivery in Thailand
by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
Images courtesy Skyports Drone Services.
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Drone delivery leader Skyports Drone Services has completed a medical drone delivery demonstration for Thailand’s Medical UAV Committee, consisting of members from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), the Ministry of Public Health and Department of Medical Services, with support from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), AEROTHAI and Satun Province. This follows the company’s recent acquisition of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
“With the successful conclusion of this demonstration, we see the strong potential of drone delivery services for helping people in need,” said Dr Sophon Mekthana, Assistant Minister of Public Health and Chairman of the Committee. “When sick, even those residing in the most remote communities can promptly access medicines and medical supplies to receive timely treatment, or if disasters occur, drones can be used to support medical and humanitarian missions. We will be able to transport medical supplies, vaccines and bloods as needed, as well as use this demonstration as a model for future missions in other areas of the country.”
The aircraft carried a 3kg payload of medical samples, taking off from Ratchakit Prakan Stadium near Satun Hospital and flying to a landing zone near Puyu Health Centre. The aircraft covered a distance of roughly 12km in less than seven minutes. A traditional delivery by car and ferry would normally take about 55 minutes.
“The demonstration today is the first important step in showcasing the tangible benefits of medical drone delivery services to the local authorities and healthcare organisations,” said Skyports Drone Services APAC General Manager Sanjay Suresh. “Drawing from the experience and expertise of our global operations, we are able to bring our rigorously tested practices and proven operations to Thailand’s unique landscape and demonstrate the effectiveness of our work. When safely deployed at scale, medical drone delivery networks will support the efforts of Thailand’s healthcare sector in better serving patients through enhanced accessibility and timeliness.”
The demonstration illustrates the effectiveness of BVLOS medical drone deliveries in the delivery of supplies to isolated locations in the country. Skyports Drone Services is committed to continued collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, and Thailand’s regulators and authorities to assist the country’s efforts in increasing access to crucial medical services through drone delivery technology. This also marks the company’s expansion into Thailand, following a successful year of expanding its services across existing and new markets including Japan, Singapore and Korea.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
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