More drones are seemingly making the world a better place – one country at a time. In the South Pacific Ocean nation of Vanuatu, drones serve as transport for vaccines to the country’s far corners. Being a nation composed of several scattered smaller islands, transporting goods – especially medicine – can be difficult.
Vanuatu Vaccine Transports
Swoop Aero is one of the two drone companies receive the call for this very important task. They plan to use fast transport drones with refrigeration capabilities to preserve the medication during travel. Because of the tropical nature of the country, as well as the scattered and often indirect travel paths, medicine is hard to deliver. The more fragile medicine is even further an issue. They need a specified temperature storage or else they will lose effectiveness. The name of the game here is speed and temperature consistency.
For that, Swoop Aero plans to use a drone capable of handling these two requirements. The drone has a compartment built for storage and delivery. This compartment also has refrigeration factors, being able to control and stabilize temperature inside no matter the state outside. For the speed, the drone boasts being able to fly up to a distance of 100 kilometers per hour. This can be a great asset for Vanuatu, which spans about 1,300 kilometers. This also means that no matter which island the medication is needed, it can be reached within an hour or two after contact.
The drone transports are still in its testing phase to see if there are any flaws in the system. In Africa, a number of countries have also started using drones for their medical transport needs. Drones have been used in the past to transport medicine, food, emergency rations, first aid, and even blood. The distance between primary hospitals and rural communities has always been a massive problem. Hopefully, drones are the solution to this age-old conundrum.
