In collaboration with the Greek company UCANDRONE, a member of the EFA GROUP, Nova, a member of the United Group, a telecommunications and media provider in Southeast Europe, implemented a comprehensive pilot project of transporting pharmaceutical and health equipment to the small inhabited islands of the Aegean sea via drone.

The innovative pilot program lasting four months was carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and the Administration of the 2nd Health Region of Piraeus and Aegean with the aim of serving and equipping islands where there are no pharmacies with medical equipment so as to meet the needs of the residents and the local public health system. 

The drone conducted daily scheduled flights from the island of Naxos to the small islands of Koufonisi, Heraklia, and Schinoussa, as well as emergency flights, in case of an emergency, to transport all the necessary medical equipment.

Στη μεταφορά φαρμακευτικού & υγειονομικού υλικού μέσω drone για την κάλυψη των αναγκών των κατοίκων των μικρών νησιών του Αιγαίου παρευρέθηκαν ο Υπουργός Υγείας @thanosplevris και ο ΓΓ Πρωτοβάθμιας Φροντίδας @mthemisto.
Η δράση γίνεται με την υποστήριξη της @NovaGreece. pic.twitter.com/MXTvhmPzKa

— ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΥΓΕΙΑΣ (@YpYgGR) October 20, 2022

In the context of the project, 5G technology was used and developed by gathering data from various sources, while at the same time operational issues were investigated, in order to better serve the needs of each island and to have a guaranteed level of service. 

The program demonstrated significant short- and long-term benefits to local communities, residents, the national economy, and the environment, as the use of the drone reduces the cost of travel and the corresponding energy footprint, but above all, it allows first aid to be offered to residents in need.

The event for the presentation of the pilot program in Schinoussa was attended, among others, by: Thanasis Pleuris, Minister of Health, Christos Roilos, Commander of the 2nd Health Region of Piraeus and Aegean, Marios Themistokleous, Secretary General of Primary Health Care, Giorgos Koukoulas, Head of the Quality Improvement and Control Department of the 2nd Health Region of Piraeus and Aegean, Dimitrios Lianos, Mayor of Naxos, Panagiotis Georgiopoulos, CEO of NOVA, Dimitris Stefanakis, CEO of UCANDRONE, Alexandros Bregiannis, Public Sector & ICT Executive Director of Nova, Angeliki Eleftheriou, Nova’s Corporate Affairs & ESG Senior Manager, and Kirikos Kartelias, Nova’s Public Sector Account Manager.

Also read: ALTUS | The first delivery of drugs by drone in Europe takes place in Trikala – PHOTOS