By Hana Anandira
BT Group threw its weight behind the UK’s drone industry, striking an agreement to deploy its network for what it claimed is the country’s first drone medical delivery, connecting two healthcare facilities in the Midlands.
The operator noted in a statement the trial was conducted in partnership with drone specialist Skyfarer and healthcare courier Medical Logistics UK, which deployed EE’s connectivity tailored for commercial drone services to connect a University Hospital in Coventry and NHS sites in Warwickshire.
BT revealed more than 1,900km have been flown since it began the drone trial in October 2022, including 220km in a single day without any faults or failures. It added the project completed a total of 130 flights between the facilities.
The drone connectivity services offered by its EE network allow for drone operations and monitoring, along with enabling users with unlimited data to transmit video footage required in drone communications, the operator claimed.
Drone opportunity
BT highlighted long-term opportunities in the UK drone industry, estimating GDP growth in the healthcare sector would reach £4 billion(US$4.96billion) by 2030.
Additionally, the operator claimed drone deployments in critical public sectors would not only help cut costs and delivery time but would provide a more sustainable option in logistics compared to traditional vehicles.
Earlier this year, BT pledged to invest £5 million in local drone start-up Altitude Angel as part of its commitment to boost the country’s drone industry.
