The ascendance of drone technology in the world and the accessibility of it have surfaced convenience in various demographics. The students from Aminiya School wanted to create a service that can utilise drones in areas of necessity. These students floated their idea of a "medicine drone" to bridge the gap between the accessibility of medicine throughout the island nation.
The two-day fair held in Aminiya School, dubbed "Smart Innovative Fair 2023," showcased the creativity of 253 students. One idea that stood out was that of the medicine drone, presented by five students from grade eight.
The idea of a medicine drone, for students Aishath Luca Shameem, Mohamed Makin Shazeem, Aminath Maishaan Ibrahim, Fathimath Nazeeha Nazmeen, Khadheeja Naura and Nibaal, stemmed from the hurdles of transporting medication between the atolls.
"Islands cannot easily access the medication that the capital has. This drone can be used to transport such medicines that are not available in the atolls with a doctor’s prescription," the students relayed.
They also explained how it will operate: the medicine will be delivered from Malé to the regional hospitals via the drone, and then it will be delivered to nearby islands by ferry within an allocated time frame. The plan devised by the students had the doctors responsible for receiving the medicine.
Made from popsicle sticks and a motor, the battery of the drone can last up to 260 kilometres. Solar panels are embedded to make the battery last longer. The drone can hold 1.75 to 5.85 kilogrammes of medicine and travel within a time period of 30 minutes to four hours.
The drone is tagged with colours to punctuate the urgency of the medicine. The colour red is for emergency medicine, orange denotes careful transportation but urgent delivery, and yellow and green are also within the colour code.
Drone-provided emergency medical transportation is not uncommon, as some isolated places are being served around the world. By the end of the year, the Ministry of Transport plans to finalise the permit for the use of drones in such areas of necessity, and the Civil Aviation Authority will gazette the criteria for drone transportation.
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