Hong Kong to tap drone use in healthcare

Hong Kong has the potential to make use of drones in healthcare and draw experience from the mainland, according to an industry leader. Sources say the Hospital Authority (HA) plans to test drone medication deliveries in rural parts of Hong Kong, like flying drones from Tseung Kwan O Hospital to Po Toi O Chuen, a village about 10 kilometres away, as well as from Northern District Hospital to nearby villages. The HA earlier said they were committed to the government's plan for a low-altitude economy. Andy Yeung, chairman of the DNT FPV Drone Association Hong Kong, China, spoke on an RTHK radio programme on Wednesday. “Hong Kong has the potential for development, but in the beginning we might need to rely on existing mainland technology. We can adapt their well-developed system to fit our needs later on,” he said. “Each area has different application environments, networks, interference, and regulations. If we take cues from the mainland’s success, like field arrangement, work distribution, and problem-solving in real scenarios, it will make things easier for Hong Kong.” Yeung said it’s wise to start testing in less populated areas because it’s easier to demonstrate to the public how they work and help ease their worries about safety and privacy. He said that drones weighing between 5 to 10 kilogrammes should be sufficient for delivering medications. He added that ionospheric scintillation - which disrupted satellite signals and led to the cancellation of the drone show on October 1 - wouldn’t affect the deliveries. Yeung explained that a drones performance involves hundreds of drones and any slight deviation could result in collision, but that’s not the case for medication delivery. “When you're up in the air with a drone, a shift of five centimetres to one or two metres usually just results in slower speeds. Also, when planning routes, you would avoid crowded spots and won’t fly between buildings, so minor deviations aren’t a major issue,” he said. On the same programme, Sai Kung District Councilor Christine Fong stressed that there’s a real need for drug delivery, noting that many elderly people in Po Toi O Chuen have to tackle a steep road whenever they go out, with the wait time for minibuses sometimes exceeding half an hour. She said the fee for drone delivery should not exceed the HK$65 per prescription charged by HA for its current medication delivery service, and that subsidies should be granted to low income families.