Drones deliver AED to save lives in North Carolina, new study

FORSYTH COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Now drones carrying defibrillators could be the difference between life and death. 

Researchers at Duke are testing drones in Forsyth County to see if they can deliver automated defibrillators (AED) faster than traditional emergency services.  

When a 911 call comes in, a dispatcher coordinates with a drone pilot to fly autonomously to the location of the cardiac arrest. The drone flies at 200 feet, lowers to 100 feet, and winches the AED safely to the ground.

Upon arrival, the operator then tells the caller how to use the device.  

Duke’s Doctor Monica Starks says this aerial technology can have particular applications in rural, hard to reach locations. 

“Drones don’t have to adhere to traffic patterns, the way first responders and EMS does. It flies unimpeded at 30mph and even greater lift in drone systems, to get to the site of cardiac arrest,” Dr. Starks said. 

Starks believes that drones can lower response time from 6 to 4 minutes, increasing the chance of surviving cardiac arrest by up to 70%.