Drones in Healthcare

As the pandemic is still a global public health challenge, many options are explored to slow down the spread of COVID-19. Contactless solutions such as drones for use in healthcare are currently deployed, specifically in disinfection, remote monitoring, and medicine delivery. Some countries have also deployed drones for communication purposes.¹ Here are some patents disclosing drones/unmanned aerial vehicles for use in different medical applications:

U.S. Patent No. 9,494,937

Method and system for drone deliveries to vehicles in route

In 2017, Verizon acquired Skyward, a drone company that caters to power drone programs in construction, industrial inspection, precision agriculture, and more. Combining Skyward’s drone operation management platform and Verizon’s network, an easier, faster, and more efficient commercial drone operation. ² Verizon’s patent discloses a drone delivery system to vehicles in route. One embodiment of the invention is for medical drones that may deliver crucial medicine or medical supplies to ambulances or medical helicopters in route.

U.S. Patent No. 8,948,935

Providing a medical support device via an unmanned aerial vehicle

Google’s Wing Aviation launched its first commercial drone delivery in Oct 2019, ahead of its competitors Amazon and Uber. Wing is a spin-off company from Alphabet’s X division, and early in 2019 it received Federal Aviation Administration approval to deliver small packages in select Virginia cities.³ Disclosed in one of Wing’s patents is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can navigate a medical situation and provide medical support.

U.S. Patent No. 10,511,950

Method and system for an emergency location information service (E-LIS) for Internet of Things (IoT) devices

RedSky Technologies is an emergency solutions company that aims to breach gaps in the 9-1-1 system. Their products include software systems for tracking location, routing calls, and emergency notifications.⁴ In one of their patents, a drone is used to locate a mobile device to provide accurate location to emergency responders.

U.S. Patent No. 9,963,230

Aerial drone cleaning device and method of cleaning a target surface therewith

Procter & Gamble, an American multinational company, started out as a soap and candle company. Currently, they have an array of products, including brands for family, fabric, and home care.⁵ In one of P&G’s patents, an aerial drone is disclosed and may dispose of a cleaning sheet, a duster, and dispense/spray cleaning agents on a surface.

U.S. Patent No. 9,863,776

Ambulatory route management based on a personal drone

IBM’s Watson AI, their robot who won Jeopardy versus humans in 2013, was repurposed to be a COVID-19 chatbot to aid the government and healthcare institutions to answer questions and provide accurate information.⁶ Aside from Watson, one of IBM’s inventions that can help during this pandemic is ambulatory route management based on a personal drone. Disclosed in the patent is a way to determine the safest and fastest route to an emergency situation.

References

1. 1. T. Cozzens, “Pandemic drones to monitor, detect those with COVID-19,” GPS World, 26 March 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.gpsworld.com/draganfly-camera-and-uav-expertise-to-help-diagnose-coronavirus/. [Accessed 1 April 2020].
   2. Skyward, “Verizon Acquires Skyward,” 2017. [Online]. Available: https://skyward.io/verizon-acquires-skyward-to-simplify-drone-operations-and-reduce-complexity-for-businesses/. [Accessed 6 April 2020].
   3. J. Elias, “Alphabet’s Wing launches first commercial drone delivery,” CNBC, 18 October 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/18/alphabets-wing-launches-first-commercial-drone-delivery.html. [Accessed 1 April 2020].
   4. RedSky, “What is E911? | RedSky Technologies | The Leading Provider of E911 Services and Compliance,” RedSky Technologies, [Online]. Available: https://www.redskye911.com/what-is-e911. [Accessed 6 April 2020].
   5. P&G, “About Us,” [online]. Available: https://www.pgcareers.com/about-us. [Accessed 6 April 2020].
   6. L. Dormehl, “IBM turned its Jeopardy-winning AI into the world’s smartest COVID-19 chatbot,” Digital Trends, 3 April 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/ibm-watson-covid-19-chatbot/. [Accessed 6 April 2020].
   7. Insitu, A Boeing Company, “Success Stories,” [online]. Available: https://www.insitu.com/success-stories. [Accessed 6 April 2020].