London NHS drone delivery

Frequently asked questions

Trial details

What are you transporting?

We are transporting urgent blood samples, supporting tests for patients with conditions like bleeding control disorders or transplant patients, among others. After positive progress over the first six months, we are now exploring flying a broader range of pathology items, medicines and supplies.

When will the trial take place?

The trial began in October 2024 for an initial six month period. The Civil Aviation Authority has approved a six month extension to the airspace approval.

Who is the team behind this trial?

This trial is being run as a partnership between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Apian and Wing.

What are the benefits of medical drone delivery?

Over the first six months, medical drone deliveries have demonstrated the capability to make faster, more reliable and more sustainable deliveries than traditional land-based modes of transport. Quicker analysis of samples helps clinicians to efficiently determine whether patients are safe to receive treatment or be discharged. This allows the staff to be more productive, hospitals to be more resilient and patients to receive the care they need sooner.

How often do you fly?

We fly Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. Flights only take place during daylight hours. NHS demand will drive the number of actual daily flights within the regulatory limits.

Can I get a delivery to my home?

This trial is exclusively for the delivery of medical products between hospitals. There will be no deliveries to individual homes.

Drone and airspace details

What are the characteristics of the drone?

The Wing drone is primarily made of foam, weighs around 5kg, carries packages of around 1kg, and will cruise at about 100 km/h. The drone has been flown on three continents with over 400,000 commercial deliveries and thousands more test and simulation flights. Learn more about the Wing drone here. 

How high do the drones fly?

The drones will fly at a height of approximately 70 metres above ground level.

What route do the drones take?

The drones fly between Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital in London. The drones do not always follow the same route on each flight, but they only fly within the airspace corridor approved by the Civil Aviation Authority between the two hospitals.

How fast do they get there?

Transporting samples between Guy’s Hospital and the lab at St Thomas’ Hospital can take more than half an hour by road but takes less than two minutes by drone.

Who flies the drone?

The drones are highly automated and operate along pre-programmed flight routes. All flights are overseen by a certified and trained Pilot in Command. 

Can the drone fly in bad weather?

Yes, the drones can tolerate significant rain and wind, up to a point of course! The drones have been used for routine deliveries in the heat of Australia, the cold of Finland, and the rain of Ireland. If the weather is so extreme that flights are not possible, the deliveries will be made via existing ground-transport options.

Are the drones safe? 

Yes, Wing’s delivery drones are among the safest ways to transport goods; they are safer for the community than having goods delivered by truck or car. There are multiple levels of redundancy built into the drones’ operations, including real-time systems that conduct health and safety checks on our drones and qualified pilots who oversee operations. The safety of Wing’s aircraft, personnel and operations are rigorously reviewed and all operations can only be undertaken with the approval of the regulators in each country Wing operates. In the UK, Wing works closely with the Civil Aviation Authority.

Do you need permission to fly?

Yes. Commercial drone delivery operations, such as these, are highly regulated by governmental agencies and require a specific operational authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority - the same authority that regulates crewed aviation (such as passenger planes).

Additionally, airspace approval is necessary before flying to ensure safe coordination with other airspace users, such as the Police, the Armed Forces, Fire Brigades, and Air Ambulances. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has reviewed these operations and has issued our airspace approval.

Do the drones have cameras?

Wing’s drones are built with the goal of delivering packages – not taking photographs. They’re equipped with low-resolution, black-and-white camera sensors used primarily to assist with navigation and to help ensure the safety and reliability of our operations. There is no live feed of images available to anyone — including the pilots overseeing flights.

How environmentally friendly is it?

All the drones are fully electric and emit zero carbon emissions during flight. Lightweight commercial drones can reduce CO2e emissions by up to 99% compared to non-electric cars, and reduce transportation electricity needed compared to electric delivery vans.

Will I be able to hear the drones from my home/business?

From our experience over the first six months, most people do not notice the drones flying overhead. The drones fly higher than 70 metres above ground level and can pass extremely quickly at a speed of over 100 km/h. While flying, the drone average noise level is lower than city sounds from ground-level and significantly quieter than a car driving by. 

Further information

Who can I talk to for more information?

Whether you’re a local resident, a patient or someone who works for the NHS, we’d love to hear from you!

If you’d like to hear more about this, or have any other questions or feedback, then we encourage you to reach out to us directly at feedback@apian.aero or write to us at Apian, 2-6 Boundary Row, London SE1 8HP.