Wing and Apian have partnered with Blackrock Health, St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, and Medtronic to initiate a drone delivery trial, aimed at improving healthcare logistics.
Over the coming months, Wing and Apian will use drones to transport medical supplies and devices to hospitals. Initial deliveries will include Medtronic’s PillCam™, sutures, surgical tools, and heart valve repair products, with plans to expand to pacemakers and Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators (ICDs). Deliveries will begin at Blackrock Health, Blackrock Clinic, and St. Vincent’s Private Hospital in Dublin.
This trial represents Ireland’s first ongoing medical device delivery service by drone. Kristian Howells, Group Commercial Director at Medtronic, remarked, “The use of drones in medical logistics presents an exciting opportunity to get our life-saving technologies to the people who need them quicker than ever before. Traditional supply chains have limitations that the inclusion of drones may help to overcome. What we learn from this pilot programme will help us to create more resilient supply chains that are patient focused.”
The partnership aims to test faster, more reliable, and sustainable medical logistics, supporting patients by ensuring timely care. Drones can enhance healthcare systems by reducing medical supply wastage and increasing efficiency in patient care facilities.
Currently, hospitals rely on road vehicles for medical supply transport, often facing delays due to traffic congestion and higher carbon emissions. Wing’s electric drones, which have completed over 350,000 commercial drone deliveries globally, can make quicker and more reliable deliveries by flying direct routes at speeds up to 100 km per hour, bypassing traffic.
Dr. Caroline Whelan, CEO of Blackrock Health, stated, “At Blackrock Health, innovation is at the core of what we do, and this partnership is a prime example of the opportunities that exist when integrating technology into healthcare industry, with an added benefit of supporting our commitment to sustainability. We are excited by the possibilities that come with this drone delivery service, and hope to expand this beyond receiving medical supplies, by extending use to other services in time between our hospitals.”
Brian Fitzgerald, CEO of St Vincent’s Private Hospital, added, “St Vincent’s Healthcare Group is continuously harnessing advances in science and research to provide innovative treatment and care to our patients. Participating in this trial continues this tradition and allows St Vincent’s Private Hospital to explore how integrating drone technology into our hospital can improve patient care, enhance supply chain management and enable us to operate more efficiently and sustainably.”
The initiative will start with up to 100 weekly flights. The partners have implemented rigorous safety measures and are working closely with the Irish Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with high operational standards.
Nicole Schone, Head of Marketing & Communications at Wing, said, “Wing is pleased to support a global leader in healthcare technology and two innovative hospitals to meet their needs for a more efficient delivery service for essential technology. We’re excited to be part of Ireland’s forward-looking healthcare technology market, and to expand our existing portfolio of retail and medical deliveries around the world. We look forward to this trial further demonstrating the clear value that Wing drone delivery has for the healthcare industry and beyond.”
Hammad Jeilani, Founder and Medical Director of Apian, commented, “Apian is delivering the future model for a more innovative and efficient healthcare system and we are very proud to be part of this new partnership.”
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