The Global Map of Medical Drone Projects And Trials
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD
The Medical Futurist, Author of Your Map to the Future, Global Keynote Speaker, and Futurist Researcher
Medical drones have been appearing in the news for over a decade. Every week, there is a report somewhere around a world about a pilot project demonstrating how drones could deliver vaccines, medications, biological samples, equipment or blood.
For example, Italy has launched its first pilot project using drones for aerial medical rescue operations. The initiative aims to test drone deployment in emergencies, focusing on rapid delivery of life-saving equipment and supplies.
But still it doesn't feel like medical drones have become common elements of everyday healthcare, no matter the country or region.
Some companies have been around for a long time. Zipline has been pioneering medical drone deliveries for over a decade, starting in Rwanda in 2016 to supply remote areas with blood and medical products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company expanded to Ghana to deliver thousands of vaccines to hard-to-reach regions. In 2020, Zipline launched its first US operations, becoming the first to receive FAA approval for beyond-line-of-sight medical drone deliveries, proving its global leadership in aerial healthcare logistics.
To get a clear picture of this advanced technology, we analyzed the state of medical drones worldwide. To achieve that, we had to dive into the global literature and announcements to find all of these exciting projects that involved the use of drones to deliver medications, vaccines, supplies, organs, or equipment. The results include the infographic below and the table with the details too.
We hope you will find them useful.
The Infographic of Medical Drones Projects Worldwide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL-SIZE INFOGRAPHIC!
This infographic offers a global snapshot of medical drone projects actively transforming healthcare delivery. You can explore dozens of initiatives across continents, from Zipline’s vaccine deliveries in Africa to ambulance drones in Europe and defibrillator delivery projects in North America.
The map categorizes drone use cases—like transporting lab samples, medications, medical supplies, organs, ambulance equipment, and vaccines—using color-coded labels for easy reference. It visually highlights how aerial technologies are addressing healthcare challenges in both remote regions and urban centers worldwide.
The list of medical drones projects and pilots
In case you need further details, we include the database we created which the infographic was based on.
You can download the Excel spreadsheet here.
What’s Next for Medical Drones?
While medical drones have proven their value across continents (delivering blood in Rwanda, vaccines in Ghana, and critical supplies in the US) their widespread adoption still faces significant hurdles. The most pressing of these is regulatory approval: airspace management, safety standards, and clear guidelines for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations remain fragmented and country-specific.
For drones to become a routine part of healthcare logistics, global regulatory harmonization will be essential. Governments, aviation authorities, and healthcare systems need to collaborate to enable safe, scalable drone operations.
What’s clear, however, is that drones are no longer experimental tools. They’ve secured a place in modern healthcare as fast, flexible, and often life-saving delivery solutions, especially in rural and underserved areas. As regulations catch up, the sky may truly be the limit for medical drones.
Helping Organizations Reduce Workplace Incidents by 80% Through Digital Safety Transformation | NEBOSH-Certified H&S Expert
1wThis map is a great snapshot of how drones are making healthcare more agile. From medical kit deliveries in rural Ghana to sample transport in congested mega ‑cities, the common thread is bridging the last‑mile gap. But each use case also raises questions about airspace management, weather resilience and community trust. Which regulatory or logistical barrier do you think will be the hardest to overcome as we scale medical drone programs globally?
Digital health pioneer and innovator, Digital Dermatologist
2wEvelyn Croonen-Smink Anne Deckers MSc
Impressive work—technology and healthcare coming together to save lives.
SensAE are better than IoT projects; mature with connection, communication, contextualization, collaboration, causation, conceptualization and cognition into Sensor Analytics Ecosystems
2wIncorporating medical drones into telemedicine initiatives for underserved areas, whether rural or mega-cities, such as MetroManila is indeed have changing, such as delivering and collecting sample kits and vials.