Humanitarian Use of Drones

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Tue, 2012-02-07 11:01 — mdmcdonald

Submitted by Alister Macintyre

Several thousand UAVs return to USA from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and there's talk about how they can be constructively re-purposed. This outfit wants to use them for medical purposes.

http://gizmodo.com/5049606/uav-courier-pigeons-deliver-medical-supplies-sans-awkward-number-twos

Another outfit is considering a drone big enough to transport injured persons to where they can get medical treatment. I imagine that in a war zone, the combatants might be shooting at these things.

http://www.airdroneinc.com/robotic_surgeon.htm

Here's articles on http://matternet.net/ Autonomous Aerial Vehicles (AAV)

The Dominican Republic is financing a pilot project for the company.

The Matternet quadcopters are based on open-source technology from DIY Drones.

The illustration shows the drone is helicopter for landing anywhere more easily than the plane format of US military, which needs a landing strip.

The inital prototype, a quadcopter design, can carry about 2.2 pounds; a later version would carry a little more than 4 pounds, the company says. The copters are based on an open-source control system from DIY Drones, CNET says.

The concept will be field-tested in three stages. The first will carry a two-kilogram payload. Phase two will add automated recharging stations and test a load of 200 kilograms. Phase three will attempt to transport 1,000 kilograms. The prototype’s current range is 10 kilometers.

The company says a complete kit should sell for around $2,500.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20098172-250/matternet-delivers-drugs-by-robocopter/

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-08/introducing-matternet-quadcopter-network-deliveries-remote-locations in Somalia

http://www.takepart.com/article/2011/08/31/student-built-drone-delivers-medicine-food-those-living-where-roads-dont-exist

http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/29/1351227/delivering-medicine-by-uav

There will be regulations for using this stuff in anyone air space.

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/radios/surveillance/articles/5016381-FAA-delays-rules-for-drone-use-in-US-airspace/

Oh, I originally found out about this thanks to a discussion on Google Plus.

Alister Wm Macintyre (Al Mac) pro bono volunteer
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