The canton of Geneva would like to have drones developed for patient transport. The Council of State decided on Wednesday to continue a similar project.
The drone ambulance will weigh two tons and will be used for the "non-urgent transport of patients". In particular, the route between the university hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and the Trois-Chênes hospital is to be served with it. The two hospitals are separated by about six kilometers as the crow flies.
Up to 10,000 transports per year
According to Chrystelle Charat, director of the development and future department of the cantonal tourist office in Geneva, the drone could transport up to 10,000 patients a year between hospitals, a third of the current annual transports. According to Charat, a prototype could glide through the air as early as 2025.
The project is based on a feasibility study on taxi drones as part of the European Initiative for Urban Innovation for Intelligent Cities and Municipalities. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation and Skyguide were both involved in this study.
The original article is posted on the netzwoche.ch website.
