Medical samples will soon be delivered by drones

  • Reading Time:2Minutes

Norway is testing how to drone medical samples between two hospitals 100 kilometres apart. Røros Hospital is a branch of St Olavs Hospital in Trondheim. The hospital takes medical samples on a regular basis, but these often have to be analysed in Trondheim, 100 kilometres away. Currently, most of the samples are transported by car. However, the two institutions are 150 kilometres apart by road and the idea of another transport option becomes attractive, especially in winter. Entrepreneurs Herman Øie Kolden, Bernhard Paus Græsdal and Lars Erik Fagernæs are working on a new solution.

“We are building something that can change the situation and hopefully save lives. It’s really rewarding and motivating,” Fagernæs told Norwegian SciTech News.

The three entrepreneurs have expertise in drone development from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and MIT in Boston. They founded a company called Aviant, which shortly afterwards signed an agreement with St. Olavs Hospital to develop a solution for transporting biological samples between the two sites.

“We use pre-fabricated drones, but we replace most of the electronics with our own solutions,” said Fagernæs. The test flight between cities has already taken place. Using 4G, the drone flew a total of 120 kilometres at an altitude of 120 metres. The drone can deliver medical samples to their destination in half the time of a car, saving lives.

Currently, a ground operator must monitor the drone on a screen during its journey. “However, in the future, the idea is that this operator could track multiple drones simultaneously. Then it could save man-hours in addition to transport time,” says Fagernæs.

More articles you may be interested in...

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

Evolution and Implications of Battery Charging Technology for evtol and Electric Aircraft in 2025

The evolution and implications of battery charging technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (evtol) and electric aircraft are pivotal for the aviation industry's sustainability goals. As of March 18, 2025, this technology is at a critical juncture, with significant advancements and challenges shaping its future.

Additional aircraft News & Articles

Bio-inspired drone technology: pioneering Mars exploration

Researchers at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB) at the University of Zagreb, in collaboration with the...>>>...READ MORE

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

Joby and Virgin Atlantic announce groundbreaking partnership

Flying Cars News & Articles

Will we have flying cars before fully self-driving cars ?

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

EHang: Record Growth and Breakthrough in Urban Air Mobility – A Detailed Analysis of 2024 Financial Results

EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company,...>>>...READ MORE

more

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

Electric motor development: new materials and efficiency-enhancing technologies

Electric motors are the beating heart of eVTOLs. Unlike the roaring engines of old-school helicopters, these motors hum with electricity, converting stored energy from batteries into the mechanical power needed to lift off, cruise, and land. But here’s the catch: eVTOLs demand a lot from...>>>...READ MORE

Drones News & Articles

BYD and DJI create a car with a drone

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

Artificial intelligence and the future of self-driving eVTOLs

This is the vision of autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, a...>>>...READ MORE

more

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

The current status of hydrogen-powered aircraft

Air transport has been growing steadily over the past decades, but sustainability is a growing challenge for the industry. The fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions of conventional aircraft cause significant environmental impacts, while global demand for air travel continues to grow.