The EU-funded DALi Lab project has demonstrated a new model to advance the integration of drones into healthcare logistics. The project examined how to integrate this type of operation into the real-world functioning of a healthcare system, while simultaneously taking into account clinical, logistical, technological, regulatory, safety, sustainability and social acceptance requirements.
The use case developed in Galicia, Spain, focused on transporting blood samples between different centres of the A Coruña and Cee Health Area, using this scenario to analyse the potential for unmanned aircraft to complement conventional healthcare logistics.
The project addressed a real healthcare need. Every day, numerous samples are generated at the different centres in the health area and must be transported to laboratories for processing. DALi Lab selected this pathway as a scenario to study the conditions under which a drone-based system could bring speed, flexibility and efficiency to certain healthcare transport operations.
To this end, simulations, technical trials and flights under real-world conditions were combined, integrating mission planning and tracking technologies, sample transport and monitoring systems, airspace management, and tools for evaluating service performance.
The work programme included validation of the use case through real flights with the joint participation of healthcare logistics professionals, drone specialists and healthcare staff, with the aim of assessing not only the functioning of the technology, but also its suitability for operational workflows and healthcare and aviation requirements.
About DALi Lab
Funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme, DALi Lab began in March 2025 and had a budget of close to one million euros. The international consortium comprised the ITG technology centre (coordinator), the Galician Health Service (SERGAS), the Galician Public Foundation for Biomedical Research INIBIC, Science & Innovation Link Office (SILO), Servicio Móvil, Alliance for New Mobility Europe, TopView, ENGAGE, and, during the initial phase of the work, Airbus Urban Mobility.
AME was proud to participate in the project alongside its members ITG and ENGAGE.