Introduction
In recent news, drones have been conceptualized for the transportation of mail and packages. Drones are now being outfitted to carry organ transplants. Throughout medical history, there have been a need for transplants; patients are sometimes placed on waitlists to get organ donations. At the University of Maryland Medical Center, they collaborated with the University of Maryland to transport a kidney for a patient. At the time, the patient was experiencing kidney failure which required them to need a new kidney quickly.
Methods
To deliver the kidney, the University of Maryland used a DJI Matrice 600 as shown in Figure 1 below.
The Matrice 600 is outfitted for industrial use. It is often described as a more advanced UAV, where the operator should be more experienced. The Matrice 600 was then equipped with a cooler that was used to hold the kidney to keep it cool and sanitary.
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| Figure 1: Above is the Matrice 600 that was used for the delivery, which shows the cooler tthat was used to house the kidney. |
Discussion
The use of UAS for this particular situation was beneficial because the transplant was needed quickly, and if the transplant was transported by an ambulance, it could have been way too late for the patient. Using UAS to transport the kidney was a solution that was quicker and easier to use. Along with that, it potentially could have shown the future of transportation of organs. The system proved to be quick and effective.
Conclusion
The use of UAS for organ transportation can be beneficial. It creates a solution that can be quicker than the conventional transportation from ambulances. The use of UAS for this purpose also shows a potential future for this technology. It would allow hospitals to transport organs with a cheaper and quicker way. By studying this transportation method, it would entice other hospitals to use the same methods. Along with transporting organs, it could potentially allow for engineers to learn how to carry heavier payloads and how to transport them safely.
References
Joyner, A. (2018, December 13). Organs by drone? Unmanned flying vehicles could soon
carry body parts for human transplants. Retrieved April 21, 2020, from
https://www.newsweek.com/drone-delivery-organ-kidney-transplant-maryland-uav-
1257286
University of Maryland Medical Center. (2019, April 29). Unmanned aircraft delivered kidney
for transplant: Groundbreaking effort could help expand donor access to transplantation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 21, 2020 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190429104718.htm
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