The effects of drone transportation on blood component quality: A prospective randomised controlled laboratory study

The use of uncrewed aerial vehicles (drones) has increased over the last decade. However, their application in healthcare has not been fully examined, in part, due to regulations preventing flight beyond the visual line of sight. This prospective randomised controlled laboratory study aimed to determine whether the in vitro quality of packed red blood cell components is maintained when transported by drone, beyond visual line of sight. Ten identical pairs of packed red blood cell units were randomly allocated to transport by drone or by ground vehicle (1:1, allocation concealment) 68 km between two hospitals in Northumbria, UK. Markers of blood component quality were compared at 8, 14, 28 and 35 days following blood unit manufacture. There was no statistical difference in haemolysis, potassium concentration, total haemoglobin, glucose and lactate, haematocrit and mean cell volume, between the two groups, up to the date of unit expiry. The temperature of the packed red blood cell units did not deviate outside the recommended 2-10°C for transportation, regardless of the allocated group. Blood component transport was faster by drone, but did not reach statistical significance. This study demonstrates the feasibility and safety of flying blood components by drone between hospitals in the United Kingdom.