Drone delivers lungs for transplant to Toronto hospital

[Jagerbomb52]

Unmanned drone journey lasted 6 minutes, from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/first-lung-transplant-drone-1.6208057?fbclid=IwAR10ldD4n_qgWWhsEJKImi9sSLuQOa2F-o6Y6oEg9yq-47hh4XjlmjJZn3w

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

A 2.1km (1.3m), 9 minute drive, but as reported this was a test, and it's going to be great to get transplant organs to distant places they're needed faster, avoiding peak traffic etc.

Now THIS is a use for drone delivery, not frivolous packages from big boxes to consumers.
It won't be long before this is routine, like Zipline in Rwanda, Ghana etc, delivering blood / medicines.

 

[Gagey52]

Agree whole heartedly with you.
Regards

 

[maelstrom]

Now THIS is a use for drone delivery, not frivolous packages from big boxes to consumers.
It won't be long before this is routine, like Zipline in Rwanda, Ghana etc, delivering blood / medicines.

Personally, unless someone could actually die if the item was delivered by road, I wouldn’t trust anything that critical to a drone. Weather, radio interference, birds and mechanical/software problems are just some of the possible causes of failure. The chances of it arriving safely (if a little later) are significantly higher by ground vehicle, especially at 1:00am. It’s a different matter if there is no (or poor) road access - a drone could easily be justified in those circumstances.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Personally, unless someone could actually die if the item was delivered by road, I wouldn’t trust anything that critical to a drone. Weather, radio interference, birds and mechanical/software problems are just some of the possible causes of failure. The chances of it arriving safely (if a little later) are significantly higher by ground vehicle, especially at 1:00am. It’s a different matter if there is no (or poor) road access - a drone could easily be justified in those circumstances.

Yes, I guess someone in a dept somewhere makes the call depending on a range of conditions present at any one time.
Compare a commercial type drone delivery across a busy London for some urgent use vs a road delivery at times, also even vs helicopter if available and if suitable landing at respective ends.
Theses drones will be a lot larger, hexa / octa rotor I’d say, more reliable under incidental damage from a motor problem or bird strike.
Humans will develop what’s needed as it arises but in general all problems are foreseeable and could be planned for during early stages I’m sure.

 

[hiflyer201]

My transplant came to UCLA by Lear Jet from Indianapolis. 25 years ago you were issued a pager and when mine went off off in the middle of the night, after wearing it for nearly a year. I about jumped out of my skin. They said don't panic. They haven't even got in the air yet. I had a seventy of so mile drive and as lousy as I felt I think I set a all time record. All went well and I've never taken a backward step since but I rarely have been able to talk about it without completely choking up thinking about the donor and the extreme effort involved by the entire team. When Dr. Ronald Busuttil recently retired he wrote that when the team drove to pick up their first harvested organ they had to stop at a 7/11 store to pick up a styrofoam cooler to use for transportation.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

My transplant came to UCLA by Lear Jet from Indianapolis. 25 years ago you were issued a pager and when mine went off off in the middle of the night, after wearing it for nearly a year. I about jumped out of my skin. They said don't panic. They haven't even got in the air yet. I had a seventy of so mile drive and as lousy as I felt I think I set a all time record. All went well and I've never taken a backward step since but I rarely have been able to talk about it without completely choking up thinking about the donor and the extreme effort involved by the entire team. When Dr. Ronald Busuttil recently retired he wrote that when the team drove to pick up their first harvested organ they had to stop at a 7/11 store to pick up a styrofoam cooler to use for transportation.

Glad your around to tell us about it. Sad for the donor but at least his organs did not go to waist. Your living proof of that.