Defibrillator-carrying drones trialled overseas

  • 15/06/2017
Research suggests drones can reach patients on average 16 minutes faster than ambulance.
Research suggests drones can reach patients on average 16 minutes faster than ambulance. Photo credit: Getty

A study which uses defibrillator-carrying drones to reach heart-attack patients is garnering interest worldwide.

The American Medical Association suggests it could save lives, with drones reaching patients on average four times faster than an ambulance.

For people suffering cardiac arrest, researcher Researcher Jacob Hollenberg told The Guardian the chance of surviving decreases by 10 percent every minute.

"Cardiac arrest is one of the major killers in the western world. Every minute is crucial... I would say every second is crucial."

In Perth, strategic futurist Marcus Barber told ABC drone technology could beat traffic in the big city.

"Trying to get an ambulance around can be quite a nightmare."

Mr Barber says the battery life and range of drones will need to be improved first, but if further studies in Sweden are successful, drones could also carry antibiotics and emergency supplies to accidents.

In New Zealand drone technology is being trialled to deliver pizza, with plans to expand operations by the year's end.

Domino's Group CEO Don Meij says they see drone delivery "as an essential component of pizza deliveries in the future".

Meanwhile overseas researchers hope more defibrillator-carrying drones could begin operating within two years, if an agreement can be met with Swedish aviation authorities.

Newshub.