Overview
- In Forsyth County’s Clemmons, N.C., drones carrying automated external defibrillators now launch on actual cardiac-arrest calls alongside standard EMS.
- James City County, Va., is also participating as researchers coordinate the trial through the Duke Clinical Research Institute with support from the American Heart Association and multiple universities.
- Under the protocol, a pilot sends an autonomous drone that cruises near 200 feet, descends to about 100 feet, and winches the AED to the ground while a 911 dispatcher coaches a bystander.
- The effort targets AED delivery in under five minutes for more than half of the study-area population to close the gap with typical EMS arrivals of roughly 8 to 10 minutes.
- Officials stress that drone drops supplement, not replace, existing 911 response and emphasize rigorous safety and regulatory compliance during deployments.