SUNY Upstate Medical University is using drone technology to transport COVID test kits across its campus. It could lead to the university using drones to carry other medical materials in the future.
The drone flew 2,500 feet from the Upstate University Hospital helipad to the parking lot of the CNY Biotech Accelerator. It went 150 feet up into the air carrying a COVID test kit, before it lowered down and dropped the package.
SUNY Upstate Medical University hosts a drone demonstration carrying medical materials. @UpstateNews pic.twitter.com/FOP2SIHgwm
— Tom Magnarelli (@TomMagnarelli) January 15, 2021
Tripp Shannon with DroneUp, the drone operator for the test flights, said they’ve been working with the FAA for seven months to get a flight over people and moving vehicles waiver.
“This is a first of its kind,” Shannon said. “This is the future that you’re seeing, in how packages are going to be delivered both business to business and have packages going from businesses to consumers.”
Shannon said the FAA waiver is specifically for COVID test kits, but he expects they will ask for amendments to add other package types.
Upstate University Hospital CEO Dr. Robert Corona said drones could be used to transport all kinds of specimens, like tissue, blood and urine samples, from University Hospital to Community Hospital and the Biotech Accelerator.
“Because we have our specialists decentralized, we want to be able to move the specimens as quickly as possible between those three places,” Corona said.
