3. Saving Lives
The RCMP in Canada has saved lives by using drones in search and rescue missions in Saskatoon and Nova Scotia. Now, thanks to the work of Alec Momont, an engineering student at TU Delt in the Netherlands, drones have the potential to be more than just tools to help locate stranded and lost hikers. This student has designed what is essentially an “ambulance drone”. He specifically created it to tackle the high mortality rate of people who suffer cardiac arrest. Around 800,00 people are hit by it per year in Europe, but only 8% actually survive. To deal with this, Alec designed his prototype drone with a built-in defibrillator and on-board camera and microphone to allow a medic to operate it remotely.
The whole idea is that if someone starts having a cardiac arrest, they can have a drone immediately dispatched to them whilst first responders follow behind. The medic operating the drone can give instructions to bystanders near the victim, essentially making them remote paramedics. In cases like this, every minute counts, especially if you want to limit potential brain damage. If we’re lucky, these little lifesaving drones will be in every major city soon!