With GBP200,000 support provided by the UK Government’s Emergency CV19 Future Flight Fund, a consortia led by DronePrep is building a Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)/drone emergency medical bridge between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. According to a press release issued by DronePrep, the airbridge will supplement existing NHS medical supply chains which could be vulnerable to disruption in the event of a second wave of COVID-19.
The Cornish project will run for four months and pave the way for future drone corridors, medical airbridge capabilities and goods transfer in low-level airspace via drone in Cornwall. Early during lockdown the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps instructed the same team to conduct medical drone deliveries to assist the NHS between Lee-on-Solent and the Isle of Wight. Now members of the same consortia including DronePrep, Windracers and Consortiq are running a project in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The team includes drone, logistics, transport planning and medical experts.
DronePrep co-founder Claire Owen said: “Commencing in September, our team will be engaging with Cornish landowners on both the mainland and the Isles of Scilly to help define future flight plans. We are absolutely delighted to be leading the project which could lay the foundations for similar emergency services to other remote locations.”
Gareth Whatmore, DronePrep co-founder said: “The feedback from the public and ground stakeholders on this pioneering project will help us achieve this new service for the people of Cornwall and will help the industry develop more understanding of how to integrate essential emergency Drone services elsewhere in the UK.”
(Image: Windracers ULTRA Drone)
For more information visit:
www.droneprep.uk
