Overview

• Apian and the NHS have submitted early-stage proposals to the Civil Aviation Authority for autonomous drone corridors linking 12 hospitals from Wimbledon to Chadwell Heath.
• Planned routes would fly over central London landmarks including Kensington Palace, Hyde Park and Oxford Circus on up to 40 missions each weekday.
• A pilot between Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals has already delivered over 5,000 blood samples by drone, cutting transit from 30 minutes by road to two minutes.
• Apian reports that drone deliveries cost roughly 40% less than traditional motorcycle couriers and uses aircraft developed by Google’s Wing subsidiary.
• Civil Aviation Authority rules currently require temporary airspace closures for autonomous flights while further trials assess noise, safety and integration with other air traffic.