By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Could Drones Deliver Life-Saving Defibrillators for Heart Attack Victims?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Innovations > Could Drones Deliver Life-Saving Defibrillators for Heart Attack Victims?
eHealthMedical InnovationsTechnology

Could Drones Deliver Life-Saving Defibrillators for Heart Attack Victims?

Deanna Pogorelc
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

In a project that falls somewhere between “are they serious?” and “hmm, that’s an interesting idea,” a team in Germany has come up with a way to use a drone to deliver a defibrillator to someone having a heart attack.

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

In a project that falls somewhere between “are they serious?” and “hmm, that’s an interesting idea,” a team in Germany has come up with a way to use a drone to deliver a defibrillator to someone having a heart attack.

More Read

Interview by ePatient Michael Weiss of ePatient Vanessa Carter [VIDEO]
In a World of Cloud Services, Are HL7 Interface Engines Dead?
Recommendations for Healthier Organizations in 2013: Data Security
Making Heath Addictive: Make It Personal
Monitoring via Technology: Steps to Take Now

The technology organization Definetz has reportedly worked with drone maker Height Tech and defibrillator manufacturer Schiller on the device, which is demoed here.

To deploy the drone, a person would need to have downloaded the accompanying GPS-enabled app to his smartphone. In a release unveiling the machine last month, Definetz said the drone could be summoned to a specific location within a 10 km (6 mile) radius from where it’s stationed. There, it would parachute the cardiac defibrillator to the ground.

According to the Local, Germany’s emergency officials welcomed the device but cautioned people not to get too excited about the technology just yet. It’s clever, out-of-the-box thinking, but it’s definitely not ready for prime time.

For starters, some of the logistical pieces are missing. People who experience sudden cardiac arrest will die if not treated within minutes. That’s why automated external defibrillators, which deliver electric shocks that restore a failing heart’s regular rhythm, are found in high foot-traffic places like malls and airports. Definetz said the drone could travel up to 70 km per hour (44 mph), but with the amount of time needed to launch the app and summon it, is that even enough? Not to mention the person, or whoever he’s with, would need to have downloaded the app. It would be more useful if it were triggered by a body sensor the person was wearing.

A person having a heart attack would also have to be within 6 miles of a drone, which would be especially problematic in remote areas, where the it was actually designed to be used. Then there’s the price tag, which has been rumored to read $26,000.

This isn’t the first time drones have been used in healthcare. A Palo Alto company called Matternet wants to build a network of drones that would bring supplies to remote areas of developing countries that don’t have usable roads or hospitals.

What do you think?

TAGGED:defibrillatordrone
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

How Surgeons Put Our Bones Back Together- Animated Video

January 9, 2012

Medtech startups, March 2011

March 31, 2011

Can America’s Youth be a Focal Point for Bending Healthcare’s Cost Curve?

November 6, 2012

Continuous Insulin Infusion in Diabetes Management

March 21, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?