Everdrone’s “First On Scene” AED Delivery Drone Program Validated in Lancet Digital Health Study

Swedish UAV Manufacturer’s First Responder Drones Prove Critical in AED Deliveries, Slashing Response Times and Paving the Way for Future Innovations

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb

Everdrone, a Swedish manufacturer of first responder-use UAVs, recently announced the results of a partnership with the The Center for Resuscitation Science at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden that resulted in their First On Scene program being validated by a study published in Lancet Digital Health. 

Everdrone and the Center conducted the study (led by researcher Andreas Claesson) in Västra Götaland between April 21, 2021, to May 31, 2022, with the data gathered from 58 AED defibrillator deliveries. On December 9th, 2021, a 71-year-old man suffering an OHCA in Trollhättan, Sweden received lifesaving measures as a direct result of the delivery of an AED by an Everdrone UAV. The median time benefit was 3:14, with a maximum advantage of over 8 minutes. Daniel Blecher, Head of Consumer Operations at Everdrone, said, “Time-sensitivity is a constant factor that influences everything we do. Presently, our unofficial record number is 87 seconds from takeoff to delivery.” These advantages remained statistically significant even after adjusting for day/night operations, weather, and terrain. 

“The data has been collected during a longer period, from a great number of incident reports, in a complex environment. All the while ‘competing’ against ambulance-based first responders”, explained Claesson. “The findings from the collected data are conclusive – two times out of three, 67% of the times, the drone arrived in good time before the ambulance.”

Blecher expanded on this theme of speed in future products, saying, “Excitingly, our next generation of drones, set to launch shortly, is poised to cut an additional 30% from our already exceptional response time. As the future of emergency response soars to new heights, Everdrone is undeniably at the helm of this transformative journey.”

Everdrone has operations in several countries across Europe, including a partnership with a charity organization in England focused on AED delivery and medical delivery services in Denmark. While further research is being done into the potential of drone medical services, the growing awareness of the potential of first responder UAVs from the medical industry shows its effectiveness in reducing response times. 

More information about Everdrone is available here.

Ian McNabb is a staff writer based in Boston, MA. His interests include geopolitics, emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and Boston College sports.