A Swedish company has implemented a drone system that offers automated external defibrillators (AEDs) so that people have the ability to initiate life-saving measures while they await professional medical care. Since June 2020, people suffering from cardiac arrest in Sweden receive defibrillators quickly via drones, which means less risk of dying.
The deliveries are part of a clinical study that was carried out in the Gothenburg area of Sweden, where they are available to more than 80,000 residents. The study uses three drone systems, located within a 6 kilometer (3.7 mile) radius throughout the city. So when 911 reports a case of this type, it issues an alert to the drone closest to the incident area and it comes in a matter of minutes. When the drone reaches the designated location, the AED is lowered to the ground while the drone remains hovering at an altitude of 30 meters. This procedure eliminates several risks associated with landing a drone in close proximity to people.
This integration is made possible by the delivery program’s partnership with Sweden’s national emergency call center, SOS Alarm, and the Karolinska Institute (KI) Resuscitation Science Center. For now, as reported on its website, it is only available to more than 80,000 residents in the Gothenburg area of Sweden.
“Currently only 20% of untrained people can successfully use a defibrillator, this number can go up to 90% if they follow the instructions that come with it,” explained Momont (DELTF student). Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests affect about 275,000 people in Europe each year and have a low survival rate of around 10%. Research has shown that when CPR and defibrillation are started early in the first few minutes, the survival rate could increase by up to 70%.
The project also contemplates the use of drones to transport other life support supplies. The expansion of the existing emergency infrastructure that would occur with the implementation of this technology in a drone network would greatly reduce the response time of the emergency services. Now this service plans to expand throughout Sweden, Denmark and even the Netherlands.
Original article published by EVERDRONE
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