The use of drones for the delivery of diagnostic test kits and medical supplies to remote First Nations communities during Covid-19

• Published in: American Journal of Infection Control
• Main Authors: Flemons, Kristin, Baylis, Barry, Khan, Aurang Zeb, Kirkpatrick, Andrew W., Whitehead, Ken, Moeini, Shahab, Schreiber, Allister, Lapointe, Stephanie, Ashoori, Sara, Arif, Mishal, Berenger, Byron, Conly, John, Hawkins, Wade
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. 2022
• Subjects: Major Article; First Nations
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9329072/; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2022.03.004

BACKGROUND: Health care inequity in remote and rural Indigenous communities often involves difficulty accessing health care services and supplies. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, or drones, offer a potentially cost-effective method for reducing inequity by removing geographic barriers, increasing timeliness, and improving accessibility of supplies, equipment, and remote care. METHODS: We assessed the feasibility of drones for delivery of supplies, medical equipment, and medical treatment across multiple platforms, including drone fleet development and testing; payload system integration (custom fixed-mount, winch, and parachute); and medical delivery simulations (COVID-19 test kit delivery and return, delivery of personal protective equipment, and remote ultrasound delivery and testing). RESULTS: Drone operational development has led to a finalized, scalable fleet of small to large drones with functional standard operating procedures across a range of scenarios, and custom payload systems including a fixed-mount, winch-based and parachute-based system. Simulation scenarios were successful, with COVID-19 test swabs returned to the lab with no signal degradation and a remote ultrasound successfully delivered and remotely guided in the field. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Drone-based medical delivery models offer an innovative approach to addressing longstanding issues of health care access and equity and are particularly relevant in the context of SARS-CoV-2.