How a medical drone pilot program aims to help residents in rural Ontario with medical emergencies

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Residents of Bolton, Ont., who call 911 could receive critical life-saving equipment delivered from a drone, with the launch of a Medical Drone Pilot Program this week by Peel Regional Paramedic Services.

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The program has been designed to support residents of the small town of approximately 27,000 residents northwest of Toronto, when they are facing time-sensitive emergencies, during the crucial moments before paramedics arrive. That includes cardiac arrests, overdoses, severe bleeding and allergic reactions.

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Paramedics will be providing real-time guidance for use of the equipment through a video connection, says Brian Gibson, chief and director of Peel Regional Paramedic Services. The drone will not replace paramedics or change the 9-1-1 response.

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“It is another tool that may help a bystander begin care while paramedics are on the way,” he says.

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Ultimately, the pilot project will feed into research done in collaboration with the Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine in Toronto about drone-enabled delivery of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), with the aim of expanding access to life-saving defibrillation.

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How is the drone piloted to the recipient?

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When a 911 call is received, a paramedic crew is dispatched as usual and the drone is launched at the same time. “It follows a planned route while a trained pilot and safety team monitor the flight in real time,” says Gibson. “The route can be changed or the flight can be stopped if weather, people, pets, wildlife or another hazard creates a safety concern.”

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If a drone cannot complete a delivery safely, the response is cancelled while the regular 911 response continues.

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Gibson says the drone can operate on five different radio frequency bands to ensure optimal connectivity during a flight, enabling remote control and audio-video.

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What would a typical drone interaction between the paramedic service and recipient look like?

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If the drone arrives first before the paramedics, it lowers the medical package into a safe, open area. A 911 dispatcher or paramedic guides the caller or bystander by phone or video on how to retrieve and use the equipment. For an AED, no special training is needed because the device provides clear instructions and will only deliver a shock when appropriate.

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“When paramedics arrive, they take over patient care,” says Gibson.

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What equipment is used?

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The pilot project involves just one drone. “The drone itself is not unique,” says Gibson. “To date other drone programs have used drones primarily for search and rescue, and have tested the concept of delivery. We are actually doing it.” 

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The drone weighs approximately 15 kilograms and can carry a 5.5 kilograms payload. It’s 98 centimetres long and 76 centimetres wide.