A new simulation in Dublin highlights how medical drone delivery could reshape inter-hospital transport of critical supplies in Ireland. Rotunda Hospital led the clinical design, while Manna Air Delivery supplied software and drones built in Ireland for the trial flight scenario.
The partners simulated a drone route from Rotunda Hospital to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. The notional mission focused on rapid aerial transport of blood, pathology samples, and emergency medicines between hospital sites in minutes rather than hours. The goal is to show what is technically possible today and how unmanned aircraft could support faster, cleaner, and more connected healthcare.
“The ability to move blood, samples and other critical supplies between hospitals at speed could transform how we support emergency and planned care in Ireland,” said John O’ Loughlin, Laboratory Manager at Rotunda Hospital. “Today’s simulation is a glimpse of that future.”
Medical Drone Delivery Where Minutes Matter
Manna’s platform uses fully electric, zero-emission drones that already operate in suburban communities under Irish Aviation Authority and European oversight. The company has logged 48,000 deliveries in Dublin 15 and replaced more than 500,000 kilometres of road-based routes, reducing congestion while maintaining rapid service times. Medical payloads represent the next phase for the same aircraft and command-and-control infrastructure.
“We’ve proven this technology works at scale. What we’re showing now is how it can be applied in healthcare where minutes matter,” said Bobby Healy, Chief Executive Officer at Manna Air Delivery. “Ireland is well-placed to lead the way, and this simulation is about building trust and momentum toward full integration.”
International trials point to similar gains. In London, drones cut blood sample transport between Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital from over 30 minutes by road to under 2 minutes by air. In Dorset, drone routes serving 13 GP surgeries achieved an 83% reduction in average delivery time compared to vans.
Drones for Defibrillators and Cardiac Care
A previous simulation in Ireland used Manna drones to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to community cardiac arrest incidents. The project, led by Dr Glenn Curtin with the HSE, National Ambulance Service and Community First Responders, demonstrated defibrillator arrival at a home in about two minutes, far ahead of average ambulance response times. A Swedish study cited by the team found drones beat ambulances 70% of the time and cut response by 3.4 minutes on average, a performance that could translate into more than 900 additional lives saved annually if replicated in Ireland.
“There’s nothing in all of healthcare that comes close in terms of the number of lives saved,” said Professor Joseph Galvin, cardiologist and member of the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Register Steering Group. “This is radical and has great potential.”
While live inter-hospital medical drone delivery will require further regulatory approvals, the Dublin simulation indicates that the core technology, aircraft, and operational model are ready for healthcare use cases.
More information on Manna Delivery is availble from their website.
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