UK-funded Dragon’s Heart initiative aims to transform medical transport across hard-to-reach parts of Wales
A trial will soon be getting under way of specially commissioned ariel drones to deliver life-saving donated blood products and urgent samples to the scene of accidents, where it is needed.
Rigitech blood-delivery drone, photo courtesy of Welsh Blood Service
Drones can, of course, quickly and easily reach rural and otherwise remote locations, where traditional modes of transport can be slower and less reliable. In speeding up delivery, the hope is to use the technology to help emergency healthcare teams respond more quickly and effectively, and so save more lives.
The distinctive-looking Rigitech drones to be used have been specially adapted, so that the blood can be carried within the main body, helping to regulate temperature and minimise disruptive vibrations.
The technology being developed will also be capable of autonomously detecting and avoiding threats mid-flight, further ensuring safe and reliable delivery.
The Dragon’s Heart project is being funded by Innovate UK and led by Snowdonia Aerospace in partnership with Skyports Drone Services, SLiNK-TECH and Volant Autonomy. (We previously spoke to the team at Snowdonia Aerospace about their efforts to trail air taxis.)
The new project will see a fully automated drone delivery network designed to support critical services including the Welsh Blood Service and Welsh Ambulance Service.
Prototype vertical take-off and landing sites, aka ‘vertiports’, will also be installed at the HQ of the Welsh Blood Service in Talbot Green, the Ambulance and Fire Rescue Services resource centre in Wrexham and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service/Wales Air Ambulance site in Dafen, Llanelli. These new facilities will host demonstration flights, so that NHS staff can engage with the new technology and infrastructure, exploring its potential to enhance patient care.
The current phase of the project is focused on strategic growth and regional demonstration, so as to lay the foundation for a fully operational representative prototype drone delivery service from Talbot Green in 2027.
Alan Prosser, Director of the Welsh Blood Service, says: ‘This exciting development represents a major leap forward in how we can deliver urgent medical supplies across Wales. By working closely with both the partners of this project, we’re exploring innovative ways to improve the speed, safety, and reach of our transport systems. Harnessing drone technology will help us better serve patients and NHS teams, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, ensuring critical resources arrive where they’re needed most.
‘Wales is a perfect place to benefit from this due to our landscape, which presents unique logistical challenges for healthcare delivery. This technology offers a practical solution to overcome those barriers and improve outcomes for patients across the country.’
Jeremy Howitt, Technical Director at Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, adds: ‘We’re proud to be building on the foundations laid during the first phase of Future Flight funding, where we explored how drone technology could enhance healthcare logistics across Wales. This next stage allows us to refine the technical elements of the system, integrating autonomous flight guidance, ground-based radar, and medical delivery drones to create a safe and responsive network.
‘Crucially, we’re working in close partnership with the Welsh Blood Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service to ensure the system is designed around the practical needs of frontline healthcare teams. Together, we’re helping to make Wales ‘drone-ready’ and better equipped to deliver urgent medical supplies quickly and safely.’
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