Drones could deliver defibrillators to cardiac arrest patients in the UK

09.09.25

The prospect of drones delivering defibrillators to people having cardiac arrest in the UK is closer to reality than ever before.

NIHR-funded researchers have tested using drones to respond to 999 calls as part of emergency simulations.

Experts at the University of Warwick teamed up with the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and autonomous drone specialists SkyBound for the pioneering study.

They flew defibrillators to a training exercise in a remote countryside location where ambulance crews would usually be delayed in reaching by road.

Results of the study, called ‘The 3D project, are published in the journal Resuscitation Plus.

Researchers hope this is the next step towards using the technology in real-life settings and across the NHS.

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating.

This causes people to become unconscious and stop breathing.

In the UK there are more than 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) each year.

But fewer than 10% of people survive.

Early CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and restarting the heart with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can double the chance of survival.

AEDs are safe for the public to use, even without training, but it can be difficult for bystanders to locate and retrieve an AED during an emergency.

Researchers designed a system to deliver an AED attached by a winch to a DJI M300 drone following a 999 call.

SkyBound’s automated drone software activated and controlled the drone’s flight.

The drone lowered the AED to a member of the public to help them carry out resuscitation on a CPR mannequin.

Ambulance service call handlers gave instructions to the bystander throughout.

The study involved 11 participants.

Researchers assessed real-time communications between the drone pilot, call handler and bystander.

Experts observed how those taking part behaved and interacted with each other.

They also timed how quickly the mock cardiac arrest patient would be reached.

Chief Investigator Dr Christopher Smith, from the University of Warwick, said: “Ambulance services work as swiftly as possible to get to patients who have suffered cardiac arrests.

“However, it can sometimes be difficult to get there quickly.

“AEDs can be used by members of the public before the ambulance gets there, but this rarely happens.

“We’ve built a drone system to deliver defibrillators to people having cardiac arrest which could help save lives.

“We have successfully demonstrated that drones can safely fly long distances with a defibrillator attached and maintain real-time communications with emergency services during the 999 call.

“We are in a position where we could operationalise this system and use it for real emergencies across the UK soon.”

Study findings show the technology is very promising.

The drone flew autonomously and safely, with good links to the ambulance service.

Participants reacted positively to drone delivery of the AED.

It took 2.18mins from emergency call to drone take-off.

However, there were delays once the drone had arrived on scene.

It took a further 4.35mins after the drone had arrived before a shock was given to the simulated patient using the AED.

Hands-off CPR time was 2.32mins, but only 0.16mins of this was spent retrieving the AED.

Bystanders retrieved the AED safely and interacted well with the drone but often struggled using the AED.

Bystanders and call-handlers need more support to use drone-delivered AEDs, researchers say.

In a related study, the team also interviewed people who had previously performed CPR or used an AED during a cardiac arrest, to see their views about drones delivering defibrillators and any challenges they anticipated.

The next stage will be funding larger studies to test the technology and evaluate whether it can be used in the NHS.

Currently, drones are used to deliver defibrillators in some circumstances in Denmark and Sweden.

Professor Mike Lewis, NIHR Scientific Director for Innovation, said: “Cardiac arrest, as the Secretary of State highlighted, is one of the biggest killers, claiming tens of thousands of people’s lives a year.

“In an emergency situation, time is of the essence and it’s crucial that bystanders can help before ambulance crews arrive.

“That’s why it’s so exciting this innovative study is investigating if emergency services can harness drones to deliver defibrillators to help improve survival.

“This demonstrates how health and care research can deliver high tech solutions to improve health and care services, and powers the country’s life sciences sector and technical advantage.”

Carl Powell, Clinical Lead (Acute Care) at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “In a cardiac arrest, every second counts.

“We will always send an ambulance as quickly as possible, but starting chest compressions and delivering an electric shock with a defibrillator in the meantime could mean the difference between life and death.

“We’re grateful to NIHR and others for funding this research, which has demonstrated that the technology shows a great amount of promise.

“We’ll continue to work with partners to further explore and test how drone-delivered defibrillators could be harnessed by the NHS.”

Gemma Alcock, CEO of SkyBound, said: “This collaboration represents a significant step forward in leveraging technology to potentially save lives, particularly in remote areas where access to defibrillators can be challenging.

“Our involvement underscores the very reason SkyBound came into fruition, as the initial inspiration came from the experience I gained as a beach lifeguard where I dealt with a life-critical incident.

“This was the foundation of our commitment to harnessing innovative drone solutions to enhance emergency response and ultimately, save lives.”

Health Minister, Stephen Kinnock, said: "I want Britain at the forefront of this technological revolution to transform patient care.

“Drone-technology has the potential to help reach patients faster, especially in rural communities.

“This government is backing our country’s leading scientists to research, test, and develop new forms of emergency healthcare which have the potential to save lives.

“From AI helping doctors diagnose illnesses faster to drones delivering vital medical supplies, we will capitalise on innovation to transform care, reduce waiting times, and save more lives across every community in Britain.”

The study was funded by NIHR’s Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme.

Health and Care Research Wales also provided NHS Excess Treatment Costs (ETC) for the drone.