The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) and Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS) recently launched a blood delivery drone. The delivery drone named ‘TRON’ will be used to transport blood from blood banks to hospitals in remote areas. This service will help save lives in the face of emergencies in the Western Cape.
TRON is not the first blood delivery drone in Africa. Zipline uses drones for delivering medical supplies in Rwanda and Ghana. Another drone delivery company, Arone Delivery does the same in Nigeria. The TRON aerial vehicle would be the first in South Africa.
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SANBS is determined to improve rapid access to life-saving products in rural areas with the use of drone technology. They collaborated with the Western Cape Blood Service to efficiently supply blood in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This partnership will help reduce the mortality rates in the region.
TRON’s cargo has the capacity to accommodate up to 2kg load. It can fly at an altitude of 100m, covering a distance of up to 100 km and can deliver up to four units of blood. According to the CEO, Dr. Jonathan Lauw, TRON will perform two-way logistics delivery. It will take a patient’s blood sample to the blood bank for cross-matching and then safely deliver compatible blood to the hospital.
