Quantifying the Effects of Vibration on Medicines in Transit Caused by Fixed-Wing and Multi-Copter Drones

Abstract

The concept of transporting medical products by drone is gaining a lot of interest amongst the medical and logistics communities. Such innovation has generated several questions, a key one being the potential effects of flight on the stability of medical products. The aims of this study were to quantify the vibration present within drone flight, study its effect on the quality of the medical insulin through live flight trials, and compare the effects of vibration from drone flight with traditional road transport. Three trials took place in which insulin ampoules and mock blood stocks were transported to site and flown using industry standard packaging by a fixed-wing or a multi-copter drone. Triaxial vibration measurements were acquired, both in-flight and during road transit, from which overall levels and frequency spectra were derived. British Pharmacopeia quality tests were undertaken in which the UV spectra of the flown insulin samples were compared to controls of known turbidity. In-flight vibration levels in both the drone types exceeded road induced levels by up to a factor of three, and predominant vibration occurred at significantly higher frequencies. Flown samples gave clear insulin solutions that met the British Pharmacopoeia specification, and no aggregation of insulin was detected.

Quality Control of Red Blood Cell Solutions for Transfusion Transported via Drone Flight to a Remote Island

“…Recently, Oakey A. et al reported on vibrations in drones for insulin, which is easily degraded, in particular, the difference between the vibration inside the container and the vibration outside the container, which was significantly attenuated by the container [22]. In our study, we only measured the vibration logger attached to the outside of the container which only measures low frequencies; therefore, the extent of the vibration inside the container, especially high-frequency vibrations, which might have a strong impact on the blood, remains unknown.…”

Enabling Safe and Sustainable Medical Deliveries by Connected Autonomous Freight Vehicles Operating within Dangerous Goods Regulations

“…Whilst the regulations are fully updated every two years to reflect changes in technology [32], an interpretation of these regulations in relation to specific medical use cases using CAV-Fs does not currently exist to the best of the authors' knowledge. There also appears to be limited understanding or awareness of the effects new transportation modes may have on the quality, stability, and safety of the medicinal products being carried [33]. In the development of any such standards, safety should be introduced by design, particularly where DGs are concerned [34].…”

How Do Dangerous Goods Regulations Apply to Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles Transporting Medical Cargos?

“…However, biopharmaceuticals such as monoclonal antibodies are known to aggregate and lose potency when shaken or dropped [48], and thus there is a need to monitor vibration and shock when transporting sensitive medicines. Recent work undertaken by the authors has shown that the range of frequencies that UAV cargos may encounter is much wider than other forms of transport, and is influenced by both the rigidity of the packaging and the type of aircraft platform used [43].…”

“…In addition, other devices could be used to monitor in-vehicle conditions. For example, 3-axis accelerometers can be positioned on the craft and/or payload in a similar arrangement to trials in the UK monitoring in-flight dynamics such as vibration [43], which can negatively impact on the stability of medical cargos (refer to Section 3.8). These could be integrated into flight systems such that live updates can be given to UAV operators.…”