Using drones to save lives in Malawi - BBC News
▻http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35810153
The drone used in the test is less than a metre long and is programmed to travel along a designated route, passing predetermined way points, which are plotted using an app.
No pilot is necessary, instead it requires a health worker with a password and a GPS signal on their mobile phone. At the swipe of a button the vehicle is airborne.
It has already been certified as safe by Malawi’s defence ministry, which has approved an air corridor for the drone’s use.
But in the months ahead, the team from the Silicon Valley will run tests to measure the drone’s resilience, cost effectiveness and efficiency.
“You put a payload box and a fresh battery on the drone,” says Ms Santana, as she demonstrates how the device can carry up to 1kg (2.2lb) of dried blood samples in a compartment tucked under a battery. “You then open the app and select the location, you swipe and you hit take off.”
As the drone makes its maiden flight in Malawi in front of a group of invited guests, villagers lined the edge of a nearby maize field.