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. 2019 Jul 30;4(4):e001541. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001541

Table 1.

Characteristics and description of drone projects in Madagascar, Malawi and Senegal

Madagascar Malawi Senegal
Project name DrOTS: Drones Observed Therapy System in Remote Madagascar

  1. Specimen referral and health supply chain optimisation using drones

  2. Medical commodity delivery for preventable maternal deaths using drones

 Drones for health supply payload delivery in Foundiougne district, Fatick region, Senegal
Project onset and end Nov 2017—Dec 2018

  1. Mar 2016—ongoing

  2. Dec 2017—ongoing

 Dec 2017—ongoing
First flight May 2018

  1. Mar 2016

  2. Apr 2018

 Jan 2018 (demonstration flights for regulatory authority)
Implementer(s) Stony Brook University, Pasteur Institute of Madagascar

  1. Unicef

  2. VillageReach

 Ministry of Health, PATH
Partner(s) National Tuberculosis Control Programme,
Ministry of Public Health

  1. Ministry of Health, Department of Civil Aviation, VillageReach

  2. Ministry of Health, Malawi Blood Transfusion Services, Malawi Pharmacy, Medicines Poisons Board

 Medical Region of Fatick, Medical District of Foundiougne, Pharmacie Nationale de Provissionnement, Pharmacie Regionale de Provissionnement, Fatick Region
Sponsor(s)/funder(s) TB REACH of the Stop TB Partnership

  1. Unicef (feasibility); Unicef and USAID (implementation)

  2. Grand Challenges Canada and Silicon Valley Community Foundation

 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Drone type(s) Hybrid (fixed wing and quadcopter)

  1. Quadcopter (feasibility); hybrid (implementation)

  2. Hybrid (fixed wing and quadcopter)

 Hybrid (fixed wing and quadcopter)
Manufacturer(s) Vayu (test flight); Vertical Technology Delta Quad (implementation)

  1. Matternet (feasibility); Wingcopter (implementation)

  2. Vayu (test flight); NextWing (implementation)

 Vayu (test flight); to be confirmed for implementation
Drone operational service provider(s) None

  1. Matternet (feasibility); Wingcopter (implementation)

  2. NextWing (implementation)

 General Global Services (provisional)
No of drones 2

  1.  To be determined

  2.  1 in use, 2 planned

 To be determined
Maximum flight range 60 km

  1. 100 km

  2. 80 km

 60 km
Maximum payload 1.5 kg

  1.  6 kg depending on distance

  2.  2.2 kg (test flight), 1 kg (implementation)

 2 kg
Propulsion system Electric

  1.  Electric

  2.  Electric

 Electric
Flight control Autonomous but monitored 1.+2. Autonomous but monitored Autonomous but monitored
Purpose Sputum and medication transport for diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis

  1. Collection of medical samples (TB and HIV diagnosis, viral load) and delivery of medication

  2. Blood and injectable oxytocin transport for maternal health emergencies

 Delivery of urgent essential drugs and collection of medical samples
Destination(s)

  1. Peripheral health centre

  2. Villages

  1. +2.

    1. District hospitals

    2. Peripheral health centres

    3. Blood testing sites

  1. District health centre (drone base)

  2. 3–4 health posts in the district (islands)

  3. Regional hospital

  4. Regional pharmacy
System approach Bi-directional transport/delivery between (A) and (B) with landing in both 1.+2. Bi-directional transport/delivery with landing in (A), (B) and (C) Bi-directional transport/delivery between (A) and destinations (B), (C) and (D) with landing in all sites
Geographical scale, including health infrastructure One district (1 health centre, 1 health post), including villages

  1. 2 districts, including islands

  2. 2 districts (one central blood bank, 1 urban health centre, 1 rural district hospital)

 One district, including islands (4 health posts)
Human resources Drone technicians, health personnel at (A), community health worker in (B) 1.+2. Drone technicians, health personnel, study team (core and partner organisations), ambulance crew (2. only) and police officers on standby Drone technician and health personnel at (A), health personnel at (B), (C) and (D)
Total flights (until Dec 2018) Six flights (Vayu), 37 flights (Vertical Technologies)

  1. 93 flights

  2. One test flight

 One test flight
Total deliveries made (until Dec 2018) Six round flights (between 10 and 42 km) using dummy payloads

  1. None

  2. Not applicable

 Not applicable
Status of national regulations Developed in 2017, pending final approval Aviation circular developed in 2017, pending final approval Regulations published26