World's first autonomous drone delivery network will send blood supplies to hospitals in Switzerland from next month

  • Permanent network will see drones shuttling blood and pathology samples 
  • They will launch from stations that automatically replace the batteries and cargo
  • Cargo is boxed by humans before flight and retrieved using a smartphone 
  • US developer Matternet says it plans to tackle UK and German markets next

An autonomous drone delivery network will deliver blood across Switzerland starting next month in a world first.

The permanent network will see flying robot couriers shuttling blood and pathology samples between hospital labs and clinics.

The drones will launch from stations that automatically replace the batteries and cargo, which is boxed by humans before flight and retrieved using a smartphone.

Medical samples can be delivered to urban hospitals within 30 minutes, Matternet, the company behind the networks, claims.

Scroll down for video

An autonomous drone delivery network will deliver blood across Switzerland starting next month in a world first. The permanent network will see flying robot couriers (pictured) shuttling blood and pathology samples between hospital labs and clinics

An autonomous drone delivery network will deliver blood across Switzerland starting next month in a world first. The permanent network will see flying robot couriers (pictured) shuttling blood and pathology samples between hospital labs and clinics

HOW IT WORKS 

Matternet's drone stations are all-white and can be bolted to the ground or onto the roofs of buildings to send and receive packages.

Users operate the system using a smartphone app to create shipment details.

Items up for delivery are first placed into a compartment box and loaded into a Matternet Station by a human.

They are then automatically placed into the drone, which docks on top of the station and can carry up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs).

Packages are then flown to another Matternet Station where they can be accessed by scanning a QR code with a phone.

After each landing, drones swap out their batteries to ensure they are fully charged.

Each station has software to help manage drone traffic in case the airways get busy. 

Developer Matternet, based in Menlo Park, California, has said it plans to tackle UK and German markets next if its Swiss service goes well. 

'These types of diagnostics that need to be transported are urgent in nature and they are on demand,' Andreas Raptopoulos, co-founder and CEO of Matternet, told The Verge.

'They have to wait for a courier, sometimes they get taxis to do this type of thing - and when you have a system like this, that is autonomous and reliable, it completely transforms operations.'

The first of the Swiss drone networks will be operational next month, with several more planned for 2018.

Matternet was granted permission to fly the drones over densely populated areas in Switzerland in March, which it says is a world first.

Yesterday the firm revealed its Matternet drone stations, which are all-white and can be bolted to the ground or onto the roofs of buildings to send and receive packages.

Users operate the system using a smartphone app to create shipment details.

Items up for delivery are first placed into a compartment box and loaded into a Matternet Station by a human.

The drones will launch from stations that automatically replace the batteries and cargo, which are boxed by humans before flight and retrieved using a smartphone by scanning a QR code. Pictured is the drone station with a drone on top and QR scanner ready for retrieval

The drones will launch from stations that automatically replace the batteries and cargo, which are boxed by humans before flight and retrieved using a smartphone by scanning a QR code. Pictured is the drone station with a drone on top and QR scanner ready for retrieval

They are then automatically placed into the drone, which docks on top of the station and can carry up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs).

Packages are then flown to another Matternet Station where they can be accessed by scanning a QR code with a phone.

After each landing, drones swap out their batteries to ensure they are fully charged.

Items up for delivery are first placed into a compartment box and loaded into a Matternet Station by a human

Items up for delivery are first placed into a compartment box and loaded into a Matternet Station by a human

The firm revealed its Matternet drone stations yesterday, which are all-white and can be bolted to the ground or onto the roofs of buildings to send and receive packages. The drone docks on top of the station and can carry up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs)

The firm revealed its Matternet drone stations yesterday, which are all-white and can be bolted to the ground or onto the roofs of buildings to send and receive packages. The drone docks on top of the station and can carry up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs)

The flying robots have a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph) and can reach 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) on a single charge.

Initially, only one to two drones will operate on a single network to avoid congestion.

'With the Matternet Station, we're introducing an extremely easy-to-use interface that enables true peer-to-peer drone delivery,' Mr Raptopoulos said in a statement

'This level of speed and predictability creates substantial opportunities for improved quality of care and operational savings.'

US developer Matternet, based in Menlo Park, California, has said it plans to tackle UK and German markets next if its Swiss service goes well. Medical samples (red box) delivered by the system can reach urban hospitals within 30 minutes

US developer Matternet, based in Menlo Park, California, has said it plans to tackle UK and German markets next if its Swiss service goes well. Medical samples (red box) delivered by the system can reach urban hospitals within 30 minutes

Once placed into the drone station, packages are automatically moved up to the drone (pictured)
Once deliveyr items reach the drone, they connect to its underside (pictured), ready for delivery

Once placed into the drone station, packages are automatically carried (left) up to the drone where they connect to its underside (right), ready for delivery

The flying robots have a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph) and can reach 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) on a single charge

The flying robots have a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph) and can reach 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) on a single charge

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.