Not-for-profit organisation the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) plans to use drone technology to transport blood from blood banks to hospitals in rural areas.

The Tron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a South African first, is currently preparing to undergo proof of concept to secure a licence from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).

The highly specialised aircraft, which features the handling capabilities of helicopters and the efficient aerodynamics of aeroplanes, will fly at an altitude of 100 m to hospitals as far away as 100 km, delivering up to four units, or 2 kgs, of lifesaving blood.

In an emergency. blood can be delivered to hospitals much faster and more efficiently than ever before, with the Tron’s cargo compartment able to securely accommodate and actively cool the fragile payload.

“Our concept is globally unique in that we will provide two-way logistics. Patients can receive emergency O negative blood from one of our blood banks [using] drone [transport]. The same drone can then take that patient’s blood sample to the blood bank for comprehensive cross-matching and then safely and rapidly deliver compatible blood back to the patient,” says Sanbs CEO Dr Jonathan Louw.

“We believe that this is an innovative step in the history of blood transfusion. The SANBS is determined to improve rapid access to life-saving blood products in rural areas through the use of drone technology.

Currently, the blood bank operator is unable to always get the blood to where it needs to be, and there is an urgent need to improve access to blood in rural areas, where there is not enough blood at the emergency services, particularly in the critical golden hour.

“Getting blood to where it is needed in our very large country is extremely challenging and difficult, despite having good relationships with couriers and our own fleet,” he explains, stressing the need to employ novel technologies, such as fridges on site or the use of drones to deliver blood. “

We had a discussion with the Department of Health on how to help people in rural areas and, hence, the drone project was born,” says Louw.

After a drone task team spent six months researching the best possible fit, the SANBS partnered with Munich-based Quantum Systems, which designed the drone, taking into account seven criteria.

These included payload capacity and protection – including gravitational forces and temperature monitor and control – of at least four units of blood; safety; two-way logistics; distance and the ability to fly over long distances; speed; automation and autonomous operations; and cost – a drone flight by the SANBS can be done for as little as R10.

Complementing the SANBS’s existing logistics infrastructure, the high-performing, fully electric UAV is capable of vertically taking off and landing, has a maximum takeoff weight of 13.5 kg and can fly at speeds of up to 180 km/h or cruise at 60 km/h.

It can be monitored in real time and, at any point, the drone pilot is able to take control of the UAV.

The drone is also able to glide to the ground in an emergency and deploy a parachute if necessary.

SANBS is working with the SACAA on the licence process, as the drone is a hybrid model between a helicopter and an aeroplane.

The parties are undertaking a proof of concept process, which comprises a flight of 9 km from Sebokeng Hospital Blood Bank and Kopanong Hospital, in Vereeniging.

Once the licence has been obtained, the plan will be to expand the project across South Africa and into rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

“We will be training more drone pilots, building capability and capacity within the SANBS,” says Louw.

SANBS, after more than 76 years of operations, has nearly 185 sites and 3 000 employees operating across eight provinces – with the Western Cape serviced by the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service.