The Quality of Blood is not Affected by Drone Transport: An Evidential Study of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conveyance of Transfusion Material in Japan

Fumiatsu Yakushiji,Hiroshi Fujita,Koki Yakushiji,Keiji Takeda,Naoki Hiroi,Mikio Murata

doi:10.3390/drones4010004

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are used in Rwanda for transfusion transport, but they have not yet been used in Japan. This technology holds promise for transporting medical supplies during disasters or to remote places where the terrain makes it difficult to travel by land. One of the difficulties in using UAVs is the temperature-control requirements for red blood cell (RBC) solutions, i.e., 2 °C to 6 °C according to Japanese regulations. This study aimed to describe the effectiveness of UAV-based transport of RBC solution. For testing, we gradually increased the UAV travel distance, monitored the temperature of the RBC solution, and conducted laboratory tests to check the integrity of the blood sample. Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) was used as a hemolytic index to indicate the effect of the UAV flight on the blood samples. The UAV was able to exceed 7 km of travel distance despite the relatively heavy load needed for the RBC solution storage. The LD level was not significantly different between the flight and non-flight (control) samples. However, we were not able to completely maintain a temperature of 2 °C to 6 °C; nonetheless, the deviation was within the safe range.

Highlights

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for transporting medical supplies has been reported [1,2,3]
The Japan Blood Donation Foundation (DBDF) conducts the conveyance of blood for transfusions in Tokyo at the request of medical institutions associated with the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) Society
With Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) trials 1 through 6, temperatures inside the storage container ranged from 4.7 ◦ C to 9.8 ◦ C during flights

Summary

Introduction

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for transporting medical supplies (vaccinations, blood, and other medical supplies) has been reported [1,2,3]. The UAV transport with a fixed-wing aircraft in Rwanda may be the first case of its use for blood transfusion, and the technology may be used in Canada soon [4]. To the best of our knowledge, no study has reported on the quality of blood for transfusion after flight. The Japan Blood Donation Foundation (DBDF) conducts the conveyance of blood for transfusions in Tokyo at the request of medical institutions associated with the Japanese Red Cross (JRC) Society. Outside Tokyo, the conveyance is conducted by the JRC itself. The transportation of blood is mostly done by ground vehicles

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Conclusion