Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) company ANRA Technologies has announced its participation in the CAELUS project, a consortium led by AGS Airports that will develop and trial a national distribution network using drones to transport essential medicines, blood, organs, and other medical supplies throughout Scotland, according to an ANRA press release.
The AGS led consortium, which brings together 13 organisations, has secured GBP1.5 million from the UK Industrial Strategy Future Flight Challenge Fund to demonstrate how autonomous drone technology can enhance access to essential medical supplies, particularly in rural parts of Scotland.
The Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland (CAELUS) project started on 1 December and will involve live drone flight trials. In addition to developing the ground infrastructure needed to recharge the drones and the systems to control them while flying, a key aspect of the project will be designing pathways to ensure the drones can safely share airspace with civil aviation. The project will also ensure critical aspects such as public safety, security and noise levels are considered.
A digital blueprint of the drone delivery network will then be created with the potential to connect hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland. The project is scheduled to run until Spring 2022.
ANRA is providing the development and architectural framework for the Drone Logistics Network, system-of-systems digital demonstrator. It will feature digital representations of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) simulator, the energy system infrastructure, fleet management, and medical order fulfilment software. The Digital Demonstrator provides the foundation for the Digital Twin for medical drone deliveries in Scotland.
The drone delivery projects aims to integrate all the necessary elements into one comprehensive solution. ANRA is contributing its SmartSkies UTM, SmartSkies DELIVERY, and MissionManager platform experience and technology as the foundation for digital demonstrator. Using ANRA’s SmartSkies platform, the CAELUS project aims to advance drone enabled delivery capability closer to reality for implementation into legacy airspace systems.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the NHS West of Scotland Innovation Hub, which supports health and social care innovation across the West of Scotland, will work alongside the AGS led consortium on the project.
The CAELUS consortium comprises:
ANRA Technologies UK Ltd NATS (Services) Limited
AGS Airports Limited Schneider Electric (UK) Limited
Atkins Ltd Avy – Drones for Good
The Drone Office Ltd Connected Places Catapult
Trax International Ltd DGP Intelsius Limited
uAvionix Ltd Leonardo MW Ltd
University of Strathclyde Dronamics
NATS (Services) Limited
Schneider Electric (UK) Limited
Avy – Drones for Good
Connected Places Catapult
DGP Intelsius Limited
Leonardo MW Ltd
Dronamics
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