Medical supplies drone trial takes off in Tayside
A drone collection and delivery service transporting medical samples and equipment between health centres is being trialled in Tayside.
flight will carry equipment from the grounds of Stracathro Hospital, Brechin, to Invergowrie, near Dundee's Ninewells Hospital.
It is hoped the service could be adopted by NHS Tayside in the future to reduce transport times.
rvice is being trialled by the health board and Mercury Drone Ports.
rial route has been approved by the Federal Aviation Authority.
Future trials will carry supplies and samples between other healthcare facilities in Dundee and Angus.
Angus Council leader Beth Whiteside said she hoped the trial would demonstrate how it could help reduce testing times and speed up diagnoses for patients.
NHS Tayside said it hoped the trial would help develop and improve its supply chain, and provide an equitable level of healthcare, regardless of a patient's geographical location.
Chris Hind, the health board's diagnostics laboratories interim quality manager, said: "NHS Tayside plans to extend phlebotomy testing hours at some regional medical practices. 
"We are very interested in testing additional logistical support to transport patient samples, which would permit samples to be taken at later times than currently possible for delivery to the main testing lab at Ninewells Hospital."   
Mercury Drone Ports is a public-private partnership between Angus Council and drone company DTLX.
It is providing a trial airspace area to allow other drone firms and their clients to conduct test flights.
It is being funded from the UK government's £26.5m Angus Fund, as part of the Tay Cities Region Deal.