This Ambulance Drone Could Save LivesThis Ambulance Drone Could Save Lives

How do you improve emergency medical response times in ever crowded cities? A team of graduate students in the Netherlands think drones could be the answer. Alec Momont, a graduate student at TU Delft in the Netherlands, has shared details of his completed masters thesis outlining a concept for an ambulance drone capable of delivering treatment in emergency situations, even indoors. “This drone emergency service would complement existing services (ambulances, police and fire departments) with aerial on-demand support,” Momont said in his thesis report.

Essentially a flying toolbox, the first prototype drone is capable of delivering an automated defibrillator (AED) to the point of care along with real-time instructions and communication with a emergency care professional to guide the layperson through the process. AEDs are the same type of defibrillators seen in gyms, malls, and other public places because they can be easily used by bystanders. Once someone has dialed 9-1-1 (or 1-1-2 in the Netherlands) a drone would be dispatched to their location by an operator where it would provide supplies, as well as real-time video and audio support from an emergency professional.