Ukraine plans to use drones to deliver medicine and donor organs
Illustrative photo: Medicines will be delivered by drones in Ukraine (collage by RBC-Ukraine)
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the launch of an experimental project under which drones will deliver medicine, donor organs and other medical supplies between hospitals, Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi said.
According to him, the Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine will be the project's first site. The facility already has three specialized drones capable of traveling up to 700 km and landing at hospital landing sites.
Flights will be coordinated with the military. The drones will receive special status and be identified in the air. During air raid alerts, they will be able to land at designated backup locations.
Based on the project, the Cabinet plans to establish a Ukrainian air traffic management system for civilian drones and develop rules for their safe use.
The prime minister pointed out that, because of the war and difficult road conditions, transporting medical supplies by road takes up critically important time that could be used to save lives.
"This is especially important for transplantation, where delivery speed is crucial. Drones will be able to deliver medicines, medical devices, blood samples for testing and donor organs between hospitals more quickly, including from remote areas," the prime minister said.
In late September, Ukraine used drones to deliver several tons of humanitarian aid to the temporarily occupied city of Oleshky in the Kherson region. Local residents received food supplies.
