Recyclable humanitarian drone provides food and shelter
Nigel Gifford has created Pouncer, an unmanned aerial vehicle made partially of empty food containers that delivers supplies to humanitarian crisis zones. The shell can be used for shelter while its wooden frame provides fuel. The drone can carry up to 200 pounds of food and aims to be more accurate than parachute drops. Gifford aims to get it into production within two years.
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Pouncer creator Nigel Gifford OBE is a former member of the British Army Catering Corps. Having seen how inaccurate, and thus wasteful, traditional parachute aid delivery can be, Gifford designed a sustainable alternative. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigates via GPS, making flight and landing extremely accurate. Its wings and body are made of empty food containers to be filled as needed depending on local dietary requirements. The shell of the vehicle provides on-the-ground shelter, and the wooden frame provides fuel.

The largest Pouncer drone will be able to carry 200 pounds of food, helping increase daily humanitarian food rations from 2,200 calories per person to 3,500. Currently in the fourth of nine stages of development and licensing, the Pouncer team plans to begin production within 24 months.

Drones are increasingly used in emergency situations, helping rescuers find lost hikers and mapping terrain after a disaster. What are the possibilities for combining robotics with unmanned aerial flight for remote emergency medical care?