Drones could deliver NHS supplies under UK regulation changes
New rules would allow flights beyond visual line of sight limit, enabling remote prescription deliveries as well as offshore inspections
Drones could be used for NHS-related missions in remote areas, inspecting offshore wind turbines and supplying oil rigs by 2026 as part of a new regulatory regime in the UK.
David Willetts, the head of a new government unit helping to deploy new technologies in Britain, said there were obvious situations where drones could be used if the changes go ahead next year.
Ministers announced plans this month to allow drones to fly long distances without their operators seeing them. Drones cannot be flown “beyond visual line of sight” under current regulations, making their use for lengthy journeys impossible.
In an interview with the Guardian, Lord Willetts, chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), said the changes could come as soon as 2026, but that they would apply in “atypical” aviation environments at first, which would mean remote areas and over open water.
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