NHS Wales takes next step toward drone-based medical deliveries

Drone deliveries supporting the Welsh Blood Service and Welsh Ambulance Service have moved closer to reality following new funding from the UK Department for Transport and Innovate UK.

The project, known as Dragon’s Heart and led by Snowdonia Aerospace, will conduct test flights at the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre to develop a fully automated, safety-assured drone delivery system. The technology will enable drones to autonomously detect potential threats and reroute in real time to avoid them mid-flight.

As part of the initiative, prototype vertiports will be installed at the Welsh Blood Service headquarters in Talbot Green and its northern stock-holding unit in Wrexham. These facilities will host demonstration flights, allowing National Health Service (NHS) personnel to familiarize themselves with the new ground infrastructure.

The current phase of research focuses on two main areas: strategic growth and a regional demonstrator, laying the groundwork for an operational network.

Jeremy Howitt, Technical Director at Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, said: “We’re delighted to build on the work we started in the first round of Future Flight funding, where we identified important commercial use cases that would improve flexibility and connectivity for healthcare providers in Wales.

“Now, our project can refine the technical application of the concept, by integrating autonomous flight guidance software, a novel ground-based surveillance radar and medical delivery drone – that together promise safety and responsiveness for unmanned drones travelling through our network to make Wales ‘drone-ready’.”

Other key partners in Dragon’s Heart include Volant Autonomy, SLiNK-TECH, and Skyports Drone Services.

The project is scheduled to continue until 2026, after which a follow-on program aims to launch a fully operational prototype drone delivery service.