Medical drone network launches in Romania

The network will initially employ three Swoop Aero Kite drones, and will initially operate exclusively in Bihor and Arad counties, in the northwest of Romania.

The network will connect MedLife’s facilities in the cities of Oradea and Arad, as well as connect both with four collection points in Aleşd, Beiuș, Marghita, and Salonta, collecting medical samples for testing.

However, MedLife stated that it eventually plans for the network ‘to be extended across the entire medical network in the country’. More immediately, the next phase will see new connections being added in Arad, Hunedoara, Mehedinti, Gorj, Timis, and Caras-Severin counties.

The launch of the program follows ‘almost three months of tests and preparations’. MedLife added that ‘the first flights with real patient samples have already been carried out’, and that approvals from all relevant local and national authorities have been obtained.

MedLife stated that collection times would be reduced by approximately 50 per cent compared with ground transportation – with average times from the collection points now being between 19 and 28 minutes, while transportation between Arad and Oradea takes under an hour.

“By reducing the delivery time of samples, avoiding delays generated by traffic, increasing the number of samples we can receive and analyze, we can guarantee patients the rapid release of results for a wide range of laboratory services,” said Dr Robert Beke, Executive Director of MedLife Group’s Laboratory Division. “In fact, patients will benefit from same-day results for most tests. In addition, we are also talking about a sustainability initiative, by integrating a transport alternative with a lower carbon footprint compared to car transport.”

The Romanian government recently received a new Black Hawk helicopter configured for emergency response.