‘A new era’: Stellat’en First Nation and UBC launch medical supply drone delivery project

Stellat’en First Nation has partnered with the University of British Columbia in a year-long research to ship medical provides to distant communities utilizing drones.

The initiative will take a look at the mettle of unpiloted aerial automobiles in all 4 seasons to find out whether or not they can safely transport quite a lot of life-saving objects, from COVID-19 swabs to blood merchandise.

“Drone transport might improve our entry to COVID-19 testing and drugs with out travelling and endangering different members of our neighborhood,” Stellat’en Chief Robert Michell stated in a UBC information launch.

“The futuristic potential of this initiative is thrilling. With drone know-how, there may be a lot you are able to do.”

Stellat’en First Nation is situated about 100 kilometres west of Prince George, B.C.

The neighborhood will collaborate with UBC on the ‘Distant Communities Drone Transportation Initiative,’ which can work in the direction of growing a scalable mannequin for medical provide supply to distant and rural communities throughout the nation.

“I feel we’ve entered a brand new period with this know-how. We have to find out about it and see what’s potential,” stated Dr. John Pawlovich, scientific professor in UBC’s division of household apply and telehealth lead for the Rural Coordination Centre of BC.

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The pandemic has highlighted disparities in entry to medical provides and care, stated Pawlovich, and in lots of distant communities, travelling to entry them could be dangerous enterprise.

COVID-19 has, nevertheless, opened folks’s minds to digital well being care and know-how, he added, paving the best way for a pilot mission like this one.

“I feel the story to be instructed right here is that we have to begin our journey understanding how drone know-how will advance the medical provide chain and actually deepen our relationship with know-how, in a considerate, relationship-based approach with rural, distant and Indigenous communities.”

Final month, a Toronto hospital community and Quebec firm successfully transported a set of lungs for transplant utilizing a drone. All all over the world, stated Pawlovich, the know-how has used to move blood merchandise as properly.

He and the workforce at Stellat’en First Nation stated they’re keen to check the boundaries.

The mission is funded partially by the 2020 TD Prepared Problem. Different companions embody the Village of Fraser Lake, Drone Supply Canada, the Northern Well being authority, and extra.

International Information has reached out to Stellat’en Chief and Council for added touch upon this story.