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Coronavirus: Drones to deliver COVID-19 tests and PPE to Isle of Mull

Written by on 26/05/2020

Drones are delivering urgently needed medical supplies such as coronavirus test kits and personal protective equipment to a Scottish island.

As part of a two-week trial the supplies will be flown between Lorn and Islands District General Hospital in Oban on Scotland’s west coast to the Mull and Iona Community Hospital in Craignure on the Isle of Mull, about 12 miles (19km) away over sea.

Health authorities in Argyll and Bute said the scheme will enable patients to be diagnosed more quickly.

London-based drone delivery firm Skyports will conduct the trial and operate the flights which will take about 15 minutes.

Currently, the supplies are mainly delivered via road and a 45-minute ferry crossing.

If the scheme is successful, the hope is that drone deliveries can be set up for other health boards across the UK.

Skyports said it marks a milestone for UK drone flights as the medical deliveries will be going out of sight of the machine’s operator, which is currently not allowed but the company has worked with the Civil Aviation Authority to make the trial happen.

Joanna Macdonald, Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership chief officer, said: “I am delighted that Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership is again at the forefront in Scotland using new technologies to benefit our patients.

“The use of drones provides real opportunities to improve services and will help enable quicker diagnosis for our patients.”

Duncan Walker, Skyports chief executive officer, said: “Delivery drones are a fast and reliable solution for vital medical supplies.”

He added that the company is “proud to assist the NHS” in providing healthcare to people in “harder-to-reach areas”.

On 22 March, Mull was the first Scottish island to declare a shut down ahead of the government’s lockdown orders, with only a handful of COVID-19 cases recorded so far.

Only the island’s 2,600 permanent residents – not those who have second homes there – are allowed on the island.

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There has been a reduction in ferry services and checks are carried out to ensure only permanent residents and essential workers with company letters and ID are allowed on the ferry.

Islanders quickly grouped together to form a Mull Crisis Management group, with volunteers helping with shopping for vulnerable people at the island’s only supermarket, mental health support and fundraising for businesses and NHS services.

The drone delivery trial is due to run until 5 June.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Drones to deliver COVID-19 tests and PPE to Isle of Mull