Medical cargo drones

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15778011

Keywords:

medical cargo drones, Medical Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), healthcare logistics, drone delivery, aerial medical transport, emergency medical delivery, organ transport by drones, personalized medicine delivery, drone-based healthcare

Abstract

The global healthcare landscape is under strain due to ageing populations, increasing morbidity, and growing demand for timely and equitable care delivery. In response to these challenges, medical cargo drones—or medical Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS)—have emerged as a disruptive innovation offering faster, greener, and more scalable logistics solutions. This article explores the current state of medical drone technology, the regulatory and clinical challenges impeding its full-scale adoption, and the transformative potential of this technology in reshaping medical supply chains and clinical interventions, particularly in personalized medicine and organ transplantation. We advocate for a system-level integration of drones into healthcare, supported by targeted regulatory reforms, interdisciplinary innovation, and clinical research.

Author Biographies

  • Katarzyna Kostur, Polish Air Force University

    Katarzyna Kostur PhD. Eng.: lecturer at Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin, Department of National Security and Logistics. She has over 20 years of experience in civil aviation, working e.g. at LOT Polish Airlines, Centralwings, Bingo Airways. The functions of the cabin crew chief and cabin crew instructor were directly related to the issues of safety on board the aircraft and at the airport, as well as Crew Resource Management (CRM). She has a UAV operator license and a PPL (A) pilot license, specializes in issues related to logistics, air transport safety, and in particular the safety culture in civil air transport.

  • Małgorzata Zmigrodzka, Polish Air Force University

    Małgorzata Żmigrodzka, Ph.D. in social sciences, postgraduate MBA, LL.M. and master degree at the University of Warsaw. Assistant professor at the Air Force University in Dęblin. Member of the editorial team of the Scientific Journal Security and Logistics. She has extensive experience in implementing innovative research and training projects, with a particular focus on shaping safety culture in both state and commercial organizations. Her research interests include the new technology: ML,VR, AI, unmanned aerial systems.

  • Tomasz Balcerzak, Lazarski University

    Tomasz Balcerzak, PhD. Eng.: assistant profesor at Lazarski University, CEO of Wademekum LTD. and Aerospace Technology LTD., Expert European Commission Research Executive Agency (REA), Expert of European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency. Extensive experience in the aviation industry in managing projects of the operating companies. Founder and co-founder of several companies. Author and coauthor over 50 publications. Specializes in aviation and space.

References

1. Bogusz D., Nowe rozwiązania w transporcie lotniczym materiałów niebezpiecznych [w:] Bogusz D. (red.) Współczesne porty lotnicze, Wydawnictwo Lotniczej Akademii Wojskowej, Dęblin 2022.

2. Bogusz D., Sidor I., Szkolenie personelu obsługującego materiały niebezpieczne w transporcie lotniczym, Rocznik Bezpieczeństwa Morskiego ROK XIII – 2019, Akademii Marynarki Wojennej, Gdynia 2019, DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0013.7499.

3. Bogusz D.: Oznaczanie i etykietowanie przesyłek niebezpiecznych w transporcie lotniczym, [w:] Bogusz D., Ogonowski K., Rurak A. (red.), Bezpieczeństwo w portach lotniczych i morskich, (red.), Dęblin 2022.

4. European Commission. (2021). Green paper on ageing: Fostering solidarity and responsibility between generations(COM(2021) 50 final). Publications Office of the European Union. https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/green-paper-ageing_en

5. European Medicines Agency. (2013). Guidelines on Good Distribution Practice (GDP) of medicinal products for human use (2013/C 343/01). https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2020-10/gdp_guidelines_2013_en_0.pdf

6. European Union Aviation Safety Agency. (2023). U-space regulation package (EASA Opinion No. 01/2023). https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/opinions/opinion-012023

7. GLOBOCAN. (2022). Global cancer observatory: Cancer today. International Agency for Research on Cancer. https://gco.iarc.fr/today

8. International Air Transport Association. (2021). Cargo and mail transport of dangerous goods by air: Technical instructions. https://www.iata.org/en/publications/dgr/

9. International Civil Aviation Organization. (2022). Manual on remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) (Doc 10019, 2nd ed.). https://www.icao.int/publications/Documents/10019_en.pdf

10. Katarzyna Kostur , Tomasz Balcerzak, Unauthorized drones-implications for security, safety and infrastructure resilience , Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics: Vol. 2 No. 2 (2024): Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics

11. Katarzyna Kostur, Małgorzata Żmigrodzka, Tomasz Balcerzak, Jan Rajchel, Natalia Moch, Andrzej Skwarski, Paweł Lubecki, Ireneusz Konieczny, Rafał Orłowski, Composites technology in aviation , Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics: Vol. 2 No. 1 (2024): Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics

12. Katarzyna Kostur, Tomasz Balcerzak, evolution of safety culture in civil aviation , Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics: Vol. 1 No. 1 (2023): Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics

13. Konert A., Bezzałogowe statki powietrzne. Nowa era w prawie lotniczym. Zagadnienia cywilnoprawne, C.H. Beck, Warszawa 2020.

14. Konert A., Kunert-Diallo A., Balcerzak T., Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) safety and security aspects in the regulatory framework. SJSL [Internet]. 2024 May 28 [cited 2024 Dec. 20];2(1). Available from: https://www.sjsl.net/index.php/journal/article/view/18

15. Kucharek D, Zdarzenia lotnicze w transporcie materiałów niebezpiecznych w aspekcie bezpieczeństwa narodowego, Wydawnictwo Wyższej Szkoły Oficerskiej Sił Powietrznych, Dęblin 2016.

16. Kucharek D., Osiak B., Selected aspects of research regarding safety of hazardous materials air transportation, Security Forum, 1/2018.

17. Małgorzata Żmigrodzka, Katarzyna Kostur, Piotr Uchoński, Andrzej Fellner, Tomasz Balcerzak, Safely integrating crew aviation and unmanned aviation in the polish sky , Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics: Vol. 2 No. 1 (2024): Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics

18. Matternet. (2023). Urban medical logistics trials in Switzerland: Progress and outcomes. https://mttr.net/medical-logistics-switzerland

19. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. (2021). Guidance for temperature-sensitive medical product transport. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temperature-controlled-transport

20. World Health Organization. (2019). Sustainable development goals roadmap: Responsible scientific research and innovation in health. https://www.who.int/initiatives/sustainable-development-goals

21. World Health Organization. (2020). Long-term care: Ageing and health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/long-term-care-ageing-and-health

22. World Health Organization. (2023). World health statistics 2023: Monitoring health for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). https://www.who.int/data/gho/publications/world-health-statistics

23. Zipline. (2022). Case studies and impact reports: Medical drone delivery in Africa. https://flyzipline.com/impact

24. Żmigrodzka M.(2022) Opportunities and Threats to Services using Unmanned Aerial Systems, Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, eISSN2395-6518.

Published

2025-06-30

How to Cite

Medical cargo drones. (2025). Scientific Journal of Safety and Logistics, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15778011

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >> 

Similar Articles

11-20 of 24

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.