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The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is set to carry out vital research with members of the public to test how drones can be used in response to cardiac arrests.

Watch the video by clicking here. 

Project CAELUS, funded by Innovate UK, are a group of organisations aiming to develop the UK’s first drone enabled medical logistics network. SAS, a key partner in the project, is aiming to carry out a simulation study later in the month to better understand the feasibility of delivering an Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) via drone technology. 

Every year over 8000 people in Scotland have an Out of Hospital Cardiac (OHCA) arrest. This simulation study will investigate bystander interaction with the drone and also explore the protocols required to support SAS call handlers in navigating bystanders to a drone during simulated scenarios of OHCAs.

During each simulated OHCA scenario, a group of participants will be given instructions through a telephone compared to another group of participants who will be given video assisted guidance to retrieve a nearby drone-delivered AED. This study is building on existing research domestically and internationally, to better understand how drones could be used by an ambulance service in the future.

SAS chief Executive Michael Dickson said: “The entire health service, including here at SAS, is always looking at ways to innovate and find new ways of providing life-saving care. Drone delivery of AEDs to Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) is being investigated in several parts of the world, especially looking at how this could be used at remote and rural areas or areas of extreme urban congestion. 

“This study will provide us with additional evidence to assess if drones could provide value to the Scottish Ambulance Service in the future. This innovative scheme has the potential to benefit communities across Scotland, including those in remote and rural areas. We look forward to working with our partners at AGS and the CAELUS project on developing it further.”

A number of live flight trials are planned across the country later this year as part of CAELUS. 

Fiona Smith, Project CAELUS director said: “We have been delighted to work with SAS on this study. Project CAELUS  is looking forward to continuing the great work with a several key partners to showcase the potential to benefit communities across Scotland and provide equity of care to remote and rural areas.”

Karen Bell, National Innovation Programme Lead, CAELUS - NHS Grampian, said: “This is exciting work being delivered by SAS to explore how this technology could change the response to an emergency call to an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the future. Working in the NHS Innovation Space, NHS Grampian as the Lead NHS Board in the CAELUS consortia have welcomed the opportunity to work with SAS on this novel approach to delivering care.”

Notes

• The study will commence on July 22 in Edinburgh.  
• Participants were recruited through recruited following a SAS request online
• The simulation scenario will begin in the early stages of an OHCA (prior to 999 call). 
• A multi-disciplinary group has been formed within the Ambulance Service who will oversee the progress and planning of the simulation study. This group involves clinical, operational and managerial grade staff 
• Simulations will be recorded using fixed and body worn cameras.
• SAS is working on detailed data modelling with Strathclyde University to provide us with further analysis for the overall potential of drone technology as an additional resource.
• AGS Airports, which owns and manages Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, is leading the CAELUS consortium. NHS Grampian is the lead health board
• Project CAELUS recently was awarded Most Innovative Transport Project of the Year at this year’s Scottish Transport Awards in Glasgow 

Project CAELUS team at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub Healthcare Innovation Day - Showcasing at the Tech Demo Session. Click HERE to view article.

Watch the simulations run by NATS to test how drones could be seamlessly integrated alongside other air traffic at a busy airport. This included drone operators filing flight plans, flying in and out of the airport and being safely deconflicted with other aircraft. 

NATS is a CAELUS consortium member. NATS provides safe and efficient air traffic services and innovative solutions to UK and international airports, airlines and governments. 

Access HERE the full article by NATS. 

Our surveys on drone noise will close this Friday 9th February and we are still looking for participants!

We invite you to please share your valuable feedback with us if you've not already done so, and to share the site with your friends and family.

Complete the Manoeuvre Sound Demonstrations survey here

Complete the Overflight Sound Demonstrations survey here

Thank you in advance for your support, which will help us reduce the risks of noise disturbance from drones providing heathcare services in Scotland.

It is the final couple of weeks for you to have your say in our online surveys about drone noise.

We need your input to help us reduce the risks of noise disturbance from drones providing heathcare services in Scotland.

You can choose to complete just one or both of the surveys about different types of drone noise.

Complete the Manoeuvre Sound Demonstrations survey here

Complete the Overflight Sound Demonstrations survey here

ANRA Technologies’ contributions to this transformative project includes developing the CAELUS CONOPS, the development of a delivery management system, customer and vendor software apps, order/inventory management, as well as integration with the UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) system for efficient drone airspace management. ANRA is working, with its CAELUS ATM partner, to develop and test UTM interactions with ATM.

At the heart of ANRA’s involvement in Project CAELUS 2 is the implementation of a sophisticated Delivery Management System. This system orchestrates the entire drone logistics operation, ensuring the seamless and secure transportation of critical medical supplies. It encompasses operation planning, real-time tracking, and order management, all tailored to meet the unique demands of healthcare logistics. The DMS system enables the NHS customer to place orders directly with the vendor and Drone Service provider to manage the lifecycle of an order.

To further enhance the user experience and facilitate the efficient exchange of medical supplies, ANRA has developed dedicated customer and vendor apps. These user-friendly applications provide an intuitive platform for healthcare facilities and suppliers to place and manage orders, track deliveries, and ensure the timely provision of essential medical items to those in need. ANRA’s customer and vendor apps empower stakeholders by offering transparency, control, and reliability in the supply chain.

The integration with a UTM system is a cornerstone of ANRA’s contribution to Project CAELUS 2. UTM is essential for the safe and organized operation of drones in shared airspace. ANRA’s UTM integration ensures that drone flights adhere to airspace regulations, avoid collisions, and operate seamlessly alongside other aerial vehicles. This integration is vital for making drone delivery not only efficient but also compliant with regulatory standards.

ANRA Technologies is a partner in Project CAELUS 2, helping to establish the first national drone network for transporting essential medical supplies across the expansive and diverse terrain of Scotland, encompassing even the most remote and challenging communities.

ANRA Technologies’ contributions to this transformative project includes developing the CAELUS CONOPS, the development of a delivery management system, customer and vendor software apps, order/inventory management, as well as integration with the UTM (Unmanned Traffic Management) system for efficient drone airspace management. ANRA is working, with its CAELUS ATM partner, to develop and test UTM interactions with Air Traffic Management ATM.

At the heart of ANRA’s involvement in Project CAELUS 2 is the implementation of a sophisticated Delivery Management System. This system orchestrates the entire drone logistics operation, ensuring the seamless and secure transportation of critical medical supplies. It encompasses operation planning, real-time tracking, and order management, all tailored to meet the unique demands of healthcare logistics. The DMS system enables the NHS customer to place orders directly with the vendor and Drone Service provider to manage the lifecycle of an order.

To further enhance the user experience and facilitate the efficient exchange of medical supplies, ANRA has developed dedicated customer and vendor apps. These user-friendly applications provide an intuitive platform for healthcare facilities and suppliers to place and manage orders, track deliveries, and ensure the timely provision of essential medical items to those in need. ANRA’s customer and vendor apps empower stakeholders by offering transparency, control, and reliability in the supply chain.

The integration with a UTM system is a cornerstone of ANRA’s contribution to Project CAELUS 2. UTM is essential for the safe and organized operation of drones in shared airspace. ANRA’s UTM integration ensures that drone flights adhere to airspace regulations, avoid collisions, and operate seamlessly alongside other aerial vehicles. This integration is vital for making drone delivery not only efficient but also compliant with regulatory standards.

Tell us what you think in our survey! Your participation will help us gain insight into how people perceive and respond to the sound of drones providing healthcare services so that the risks of noise disturbance can be reduced.

Click HERE to access the survey for drone sounds during overflight (when they cruise horizontally at a certain altitude) . https://caelus.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/overflights-sound-demonstrations/step1

and Click HEREto access the survey for drone sounds during manoeuvres (when they take-off and land vertically, typically louder, just like aircrafts when they take-off vs when they are in cruising mode higher in the sky). https://caelus.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/manoeuvres-sound-demonstrations/step1

New tiles on the CAELUS page are here. We are launching two new surveys on drone noise perception and would like you to have your say.

In the surveys you will be asked to listen to the sound of drones and rate what you have heard. The data collected will help us gain insight into how people perceive and respond to the sound of drones providing healthcare services so that the risks of noise disturbance can be reduced.

The sound demonstrations used in the survey have been developed using Arup’s SoundLab technology. Arup use this technology to create sound simulations (auralisations), taking a human-centric view of design to give people objective, quantifiable information about noise in an accessible format. All you need is pair of headphones. It enables you to make up your own mind about what you hear.

To get involved and share your feedback, check out the survey tiles on the Project CAELUS Commonplace page. You can choose to complete just one or both of the surveys and each will take you around 18-20 minutes. We recommend that you complete the study in a quiet room using the best headphones that are available to you.

Complete the Manoeuvre Sound Demonstrations survey here

Complete the Overflight Sound Demonstrations survey here

The team did it! We conducted a live flight trial from Glasgow Airport to NHS Golden Jubilee hospital.

You can watch the first flight taking off by clicking here and read more about our successful live flight trial here.

Yes it is dark on the photo: that's because the flight started from Glasgow Airport and at night, when no other air traffic is expected. Well done to the team!

The agreement will see Dronamics provide cargo drone services to enable same-day middle-mile and long-range deliveries for Emirates Post, the national postal service for the UAE.

The LOI was signed during the official launch of the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) Cluster in Abu Dhabi, set to become a globally leading smart and autonomous vehicle hub across air, land, and sea.

Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/dsBBvGJ5

Our NHS Scotland colleagues did a great job of showcasing our project to a captivated audience. Thank you to everyone who came and visited our stand, reached out afterwards or simply told us what a brilliant project we have!

📹 Watch our video highlight in the post below!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/project-caelus-scotland_we-had-a-fantastic-time-at-dronex-tradeshow-activity-7114474085501317120-47Uv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Delighted that Arup's work with Project CAELUS to understand perception of drone noise in the context of healthcare provision was recognized by the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) at the 50th anniversary conference and awards. Commendations received in two categories: innovation and environmental noise: non infrastructure.

WE WILL LAUNCH A NEW TILE AND SURVEY ON DRONE NOISE PERCEPTION WITH ACTUAL RECORDINGS: WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK, WATCH THAT SPACE!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/david-hiller-9721721a_delighted-that-arups-work-with-project-caelus-activity-7112330108111052800-prGW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Our final day at the Emergency Tech Show.

We have met so many people interested in hearing about our project+

Thank you for stopping by and meeting our enthusiastic team!

See the video at:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/project-caelus-scotland_our-final-day-at-the-emergency-tech-show-activity-7110217207246135296-VxDv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

If you are heading to the Emergency Tech Show you'll hear from our Project Director about our work on a medical Drone network for Scotland.

Join Fiona Smith, Group Head of Aerodrome Strategy, AGS Airports at the Emergency Tech Keynote | Hall 4: "Project CAELUS: Working with NHS Scotland to deliver a medical drone delivery network"

🎫 Register now >>> https://ow.ly/Nhqg50PAKX3

📅 View agenda >>> https://ow.ly/NHpE50PAKX6

#ETS2023

Our team will be travelling to Birmingham bringing along our display drone too!

You can hear about our work to develop and trial what will be the UK’s first national distribution network to use drones to transport essential medicines, blood, organs and other medical supplies throughout Scotland.

And remember to share your thoughts in our perception survey: Click hereto give feedback.

Work on Project CAELUS is never dull!

Thank you to partner Arup for it's continued work on the SoundLab.

Our team have been given a demonstration recently!

Don't forget you can have your say on our medical drone network at:

https://lnkd.in/eFF_GFw7

#dronesforgood

Most drones on the market today are operated within close distance of the Remote Pilot, using a direct radio link like model aircrafts for Control and Command. These radio links are vulnerable to interferences, starting with unintentional interferences (terrain, buildings…) and drones have procedures in case of loss of communications link.

For longer distance drone operations in kilometres like those considered as part of Project CAELUS, the most appropriate communication links are 4G 5G mobile networks and satellite communications networks. These networks have developed cybersecurity strategies and standards to support multi-billion end-user industries, and drone connectivity will benefit from it. In the UK, OFCOM, the communication regulator, issued in December 2022 its decision to set up a mobile and satellite communications onboard equipment licence for UAS.

Discussion on security of Command and Control communications link between the drone and the ground control station, the "C2 link", in the context of logistics by aerial drones. Andrew Thomas, Cellnex, Innovation Manager, and Anne-Lise Scaillierez, The Drone Office, partner.

REMEMBER TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS BY COMPLETING OUR PERCEPTION SURVEY. CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS.

Many thanks to Project CAELUS partner NHS Grampian NHSG Innovation Hub NHS Scotland for capturing a day in the life of its project team!

https://lnkd.in/eRGirNUZ

Logistics by drone will be a form of transport like any other form of transport. In our discussion, we will share our understanding of regulations and best practices that would apply to the transport of medicines and medical products. We focus in particular on Good Distribution Practices, and the safe transport of dangerous goods by air. Richard walks us through the packaging solutions to meet those requirements.

REMEMBER TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS BY COMPLETING OUR PERCEPTION SURVEY. CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS.

Lоndon and Sofia – 25 May 2023 –

Dronamics, the world's first cargo drone airline, announced today the successful completion of the first flight of its flagship aircraft, the Black Swan, at Balchik airport in Bulgaria; demonstrating the potential for the logistics industry to enhance efficiency in the transportation of products. Born out of two brothers’ desire to find a quicker, greener and more affordable way to deliver goods, Dronamics is on a mission to enable same day delivery for everyone, everywhere. This significant milestone is the culmination of months of ground testing and subscale flights. The Black Swan aircraft was remotely piloted by two commercial airline pilots from the Dronamics ground control station. The successful flight test validates the company's licensed cargo drone technology for commercial flights in Europe, set to begin later this year, serving industries such as e-commerce, pharma, spare parts, and perishables with a fast and cost-effective solution to meet evolving consumer needs.

James Dunthorne, CEO of Neuron Innovations, explains to us in simple terms how available technologies provide surveillance and tracking functionalities. Tracking means being able to see where things are in the sky, in 3D space and in time, whether that's a drone or a conventional aircraft. There are a number of tracking technologies today in crewed aviation, ADS-B being one of the most used ones. Those technologies have vulnerabilities, like fake data or spoofing. But there are ways to address those vulnerabilities, such as multi-lateration and authentication. That tracking information can be used for a variety of purposes, including planning, security and safety.

Neuron Innovations is a UK-based blockchain start-up founded in 2019. Its flagship product provides drone systems with connectivity to ground based, aircraft tracking sensors, so that they can build up a picture of all air traffic movements, and safely manage conflicts between drones and aircraft. Neuron Innovations uses blockchain technology in order to provide an audit trail of all data transactions, and to provide incentive payments to users.

REMEMBER TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS BY COMPLETING OUR PERCEPTION SURVEY. CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS.

It has been a busy few weeks for our project with workshops and meetings!

If you subscribe to the Emergency Services Times you can read the latest about what we have been doing!

We are also scheduled to be at the Emergency Services Show in September!

You can read the magazine at estmag.online/APR23

Archaeologists in Scotland are turning to drones to help them preserve archaeological sites under threat from coastal erosion caused by climate change. The drone images are used to create millimetre-accurate 3D digital models of sites that can help archaeologists understand them better, monitor their condition and record the exact location of the current coast edge. The models can also be used to predict how much land will be lost to erosion, allowing researchers to decide which sites to prioritise for investigation. The technique has been used to record sites from the Borders to Shetland and all types of coastal landscapes, from soft sand dunes to rocky cliffs.

To find out more, read this article:

https://www.digitscotland.com/how-drones-are-helping-to-save-scotlands-coastal-archaeology/

Great to welcome Communications Manager Lee McCann from AGS airports at ARI today to discuss the National NHS CAELUS Communication plan. Regular updates coming soon!

An exciting milestone in Project CAELUS as we welcomed Skyports on to the NHS estate in the North, Southeast and West of NHS Scotland to scope out landing and take off sites for our live future flight trials

Great few days in Amsterdam at Passenger Terminal Expo with friends and colleagues. From the Atkins stand I had the opportunity to present our work with Project CAELUS among an inspirational agenda of talks from Atkins colleagues who are leading the conversation on the future of sustainable aviation.

This week, NHS stakeholders from across Scotland were welcomed to join an insightful workshop led by Marco Fossati and team from University of Strathclyde as we continue to explore critical systems required for a future drone logistics network for healthcare Project CAELUS

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is using drone thermal imaging to pinpoint the location of deer in a forest and identify their species and sex. The technology is being used to monitor deer numbers and target necessary culls to protect saplings and promote regeneration in the Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve in Scotland. The reserve aims to create one of the largest areas of native woodland in the country, but an increased number of deer have been causing damage to newly planted trees. If successful, drone thermal imaging could become a crucial tool in managing the local deer population in a sustainable manner.

To find out more, read this article:

https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/how-drones-are-being-used-to-remotely-spot-deer-herds-and-protect-new-woodlands-in-scottish-highlands-3782389

A fantastic day at Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference with partners from AGS Airports NHS Scotland Skyports Drone Services University of Strathclyde

NHS Ayrshire & Arran NHS Grampian NHSG Innovation Hub

Our stall was busy throughout the whole day with people looking to learn more.

|30 September 2022|

Project CAELUS, the programme to deliver what will be the UK’s first medical distribution network using drones, won the Excellence in Technology and Innovation award at this year’s Scottish Transport Awards ceremony in Glasgow.

CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland), which brings together 16 partners including NATS, AGS Airports, the University of Strathclyde and NHS Scotland, secured £10.1 million funding from the Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

In winning the award, Project CAELUS consortia members were praised by Scottish Transport Award judges for their innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fiona Smith, AGS Airports Group Head of Aerodrome Strategy and CAELUS Project Director, said: “We were delighted when we heard we had been shortlisted in the Scottish Transport Awards earlier this year so to win is a fantastic achievement.

“The CAELUS project is set to revolutionise the way in which healthcare services are delivered in Scotland. A drones network can ensure critical medical supplies can be delivered more efficiently, it can reduce waiting times for test results and, more importantly, it can provide equity of care between urban and remote rural communities.

“This award is testament to the hard work by all the partners involved in this consortium and I thank them all as we continue onto the next phase of work.”

Dr Tharaka Kothalawala, NATS lead for the Future Flight Challenge, said: “We’re excited to be leading the airspace management work of Project CAELUS, which will deliver the first national drone network to transport essential medical supplies throughout Scotland – an example of how uncrewed aviation can support the NHS and really make a difference.

“We’ll be developing the concepts for how airspace could be managed, and the procedures required to safely integrate a network of multiple drones with existing flight operations, and then putting those concepts to the test in a live trial with our consortium partners.

Well done to all the consortium partners involved for their hard work during the project so far, and their continued commitment to making CAELUS a success. This is a ground-breaking project that will shape the way our skies are used in the future, and we’re delighted to be a part of it.”

Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth MSP and Scottish Transport Awards host Grant Scott welcomed 450 industry professionals to the Glasgow event last night 29 September to celebrate the people and organisations that make a real difference to transport across Scotland.

AGS Airports leads consortium including NHS Scotland for innovative project

A consortium led by AGS Airports in partnership with NHS Scotland to deliver what will be the UK’s first medical distribution network using drones has launched its next phase.

CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland), secured £10.1 million funding from the Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) last month.

To celebrate, consortium members, stakeholders and politicians gathered at Glasgow Airport for the official launch and to hear more details of the project timelines and work so far.

Scottish Government Public Health Minister Maree Todd provided the key note speech at the event which had a number of exhibitions on show from partners.

CAELUS brings together 16 partners including the University of Strathclyde, NATS and NHS Scotland. Together they are working to deliver what will be the first national drone network that can transport essential medicines, bloods and other medical supplies throughout Scotland including to remote communities.

Since securing £1.5 million in January 2020, the CAELUS consortium has designed drone landing stations for NHS sites across Scotland and developed a virtual model (digital twin) of the proposed delivery network which connects hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland.

NHS Scotland has said it will bring its “Once for Scotland” approach to the project, the second phase of which will involve live flight trials and removing remaining barriers to safely using drones at scale within Scotland’s airspace.

Fiona Smith, AGS Airports Group Head of Aerodrome Strategy and CAELUS Project Director, said: “We were delighted when we heard we were receiving the £10.1m funding from UKRI to move onto the next phase of the project.

“The CAELUS project is set to revolutionise the way in which healthcare services are delivered in Scotland. A drones network can ensure critical medical supplies can be delivered more efficiently, it can reduce waiting times for test results and, more importantly, it can provide equity of care between urban and remote rural communities. “

“As well as being able to undertake live flights we can begin to deploy the physical infrastructure needed to support the drones across Scotland. This will involve building prototype landing bases as well as digital and communication infrastructure. We will also work with local communities to ensure they understand why and how the drones will be used.”

Live flight trials will be operated by CAELUS consortium member Skyports. The UK-based drone services provider is an experienced operator of medical and dangerous goods cargo flights. The company was instrumental to early trial flights with NHS Scotland in 2020 and 2021, completing over 12,000 of flight hours in the region to date.

David Janner-Klausner, Co-Founder at Commonplace, said: "Commonplace is proud to be part of this innovative project, set to revolutionise the way in which healthcare services are delivered in Scotland. Our online community engagement platform will enable people to access information about the proposals and provide feedback and suggestions.

Our work on this project follows hundreds of community engagement projects, including the GATEway project which tested public reaction to driverless passenger transport pods in Greenwich, London. Ensuring critical medical supplies can be delivered more efficiently, and providing equity of care between urban and remote rural communities, fits perfectly with our social impact goals. We are excited to get started!"

NHS Grampian's Program Lead for Innovation, Hazel Dempsey, said: " We are incredibly excited to be the lead board for this high-end innovative project.

"Our aim, from an NHS perspective, is to test the use of drone technology in urban, remote, rural and island landscapes. We want to test if using drones to will improve important aspects of our logistics service, for example, to test the transportation of laboratory samples, blood products, chemotherapy, and medicine delivery. Ultimately, we want to explore if drone technology can speed up diagnosis and treatment of medical problems.

“This has the potential to improve services for those whose care is dependent on rail, ferry or airline timetables and help keep people at home where they can be supported by families and loved ones.

“This project intends to position the United Kingdom and NHS Scotland as a leader in the third revolution in the aviation industry."

David Lowe, National Clinical Director for Innovation added: "This national, exciting 'next stage' programme of work builds on the success of CAELUS 1 launch which focused on the West of Scotland."

The CAELUS consortium comprises:

AGS Airports Limited

ANRA Technologies UK

Arup

Atkins

Cellnex UK

Commonplace Digital

Connected Places Catapult

DGP Intelsius

Dronamics

NATS

NHS Scotland

Plane Finder

Skyports

The Drone Office

Trax International

University of Strathclyde

|5 July 2022|

The NHS is to trial the use of drones to courier chemotherapy drugs in a bid to speed up the delivery of vital medicines.

It is hoped that using drone technology will one day enable doctors to make “same-day delivery” orders for drugs and medical equipment from anywhere in the country.

A pilot scheme is to be launched to assess using drone technology in the health service, which will see chemotherapy drugs delivered from the pharmacy at a Portsmouth hospital to St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight.

A consortium led by AGS Airports which is working with NHS Scotland to deliver what will be the UK’s first medical distribution network using drones has secured £7 million in funding from the Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

It is the second successful round of funding for the CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland) consortium which brings together 16 partners including the University of Strathclyde, NATS and NHS Scotland. Together they are working to deliver what will be the first national drone network that can transport essential medicines, bloods and other medical supplies throughout Scotland including to remote communities.

Since securing £1.5 million in January 2020, the CAELUS consortium has designed drone landing stations for NHS sites across Scotland, developed a virtual model (digital twin) of the proposed delivery network which connects hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland.

NHS Scotland has said it will bring its “Once for Scotland” approach to the project, the second phase of which will involve live flight trials and removing remaining barriers to safely using drones at scale within Scotland’s airspace.

Fiona Smith, AGS Airports Group Head of Aerodrome Strategy and CAELUS Project Director, said: “The main aim of the CAELUS project is to revolutionise the way in which healthcare services are delivered in Scotland. It can ensure critical medical supplies can be delivered more efficiently, it can reduce waiting times for test results and, more importantly, it can provide equity of care between urban and remote rural communities.

“The second round of funding from UKRI will allow our consortium to undertake live flight trials and design the physical infrastructure needed to support the drones across Scotland. This will involve building prototype landing bases as well as a comprehensive surveillance network. We will also work with local communities to ensure they understand why and how the drones will be used.”

Professor David Lowe, National Clinical Director, Scottish Health and Industry Partnership (SHIP), Scottish Government said: “The CALEUS project is an exemplar of the large-scale innovation projects Scotland is capable of delivering. Through the NHS innovation test bed infrastructure and by taking a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach, we can determine the viability, scalability and efficiency of the technology, and its potential impact across the NHS.

“This fusion of skills and knowledge is vital to accelerate the pace of adaption of innovative technologies and support our work to strengthen health and social care innovation in Scotland.”

June 2021

Care and equity logistics UAS Scotland or CAELUS Project is part-funded by Innovate UK's Future Flight Challenge. The consortium of 16 partners, led by AGS Airports aim to develop and trial what will be the UK's first national distribution network to use drones to trandport essential medicines, bloods and other medical supplies throughout Scotland.

Project partner NHS Scotland are leading a Once for Scotland approach to ensure the network can add value in urban, rural and remote areas all over Scotland, in health boards and with the Scottish Ambulance Service.