Drones today have a multitude of applications in markets ranging from exploration geophysics to international security. But robotics solutions company WeRobotics have used their drone skills for good: using cargo drones to deliver anti-venom from the town of Contanama to the remote village of Pampa Hermosa which is located 40km away.
WeRobotics’ mission is simple: to have a positive impact on projects for social good through the appropriate application of robotics solutions. In the case of this Amazon cargo drone delivery, this has been done through the creation of Peru Flying Labs, one of many robotics groups created for such purpose, and in collaboration with the Peruvian Ministry of Health. Unfortunately, a $40,000 drone brought in especially for the project was unsuccessful in field tests carried out by Peru Flying Labs.
After 3 days of testing, the drone was simply unable to perform the task required of it. As luck would have it, the labs team had brought with them “Frankie”, an old mapping drone worth about $3,000 dollars. By replacing the camera with a cargo pod, the team decided to give Frankie a go. Although unsure if Frankie was up to the task, they estimated the flight would take approximately 30 minutes. After a breathtaking wait, Frankie finally arrived in 35 minutes with a yell of excitement from the villagers and the Peru Labs Flying team. With a canoe boat ride taking up to 6 hours – this meant a man’s life was saved from a potentially lifethreatening snake bite. The only repair needed after Frankie’s flight? The replacement of a $3 part.
Watch WeRobotics’ videos to learn more:
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUEcCLd855A”]