Latest news with #DavidWilletts
The Guardian
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Drones could deliver NHS supplies under UK regulation changes
Drones could be used for NHS-related missions in remote areas, inspecting offshore wind turbines and supplying oil rigs by 2026 as part of a new regulatory regime in the UK. David Willetts, the head of a new government unit helping to deploy new technologies in Britain, said there were obvious situations where drones could be used if the changes go ahead next year. Ministers announced plans this month to allow drones to fly long distances without their operators seeing them. Drones cannot be flown 'beyond visual line of sight' under current regulations, making their use for lengthy journeys impossible. In an interview with the Guardian, Lord Willetts, chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), said the changes could come as soon as 2026, but that they would apply in 'atypical' aviation environments at first, which would mean remote areas and over open water. Referring to the NHS, Willetts said there was potentially a huge market for drone operators. 'It's great for drone operators commercially, but it's also great for services like the NHS,' he said. Drones could be used to deliver drugs to GPs and patients in remote locations, and to take blood samples to hospitals for testing, he said. The Scottish Highlands and islands could be one area of the UK to benefit, as could farming as a sector, he added. Regulatory changes could enable the use of drones under the government's safer streets fund, which supports measures against neighbourhood crime and antisocial behaviour. 'You could imagine that, for the safer streets initiative, they might be used by the police in circumstances where they might be trying to ensure public safety,' he said. Willetts also indicated that the definition of an 'atypical' air environment could be broadened, which could enable greater use of drones over long distances. The definition could 'cover a lot of airspace', he said. For drones to operate in busier airspace, however, there would need to be progress on technology and standards that alert aircraft to their presence. Citing deliveries to oil rigs and the maintenance of offshore wind turbines as another example of potential use by 2026, Willetts said that 'strictly speaking' using a drone to check on a turbine involved a line-of-sight requirement. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion As part of last month's announcement, the government revealed it was giving £16.5m to the Civil Aviation Authority to deliver a regulatory framework that would allow beyond-line-of-sight drone use. Willetts said regulations had become disproportionate. The NHS already delivers urgent pathology items such as blood samples via drones as part of a trial in central London. It involves moving samples between Guy's hospital and a lab at St Thomas' hospital in partnership with the drone companies Apian – a UK startup co-founded by NHS doctors – and Wing, which is owned by Google's parent company Alphabet. A similar trial has also taken place in Northumberland. The UK technology secretary, Peter Kyle, said the regulatory changes would help the UK 'lead the world in new technologies'. 'These are exactly the kinds of barriers we're determined to break down through the Regulatory Innovation Office,' he said. 'Cutting red tape so drones can safely deliver supplies or inspect offshore wind turbines without costly workarounds like putting someone in a boat.'
The Independent
10-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ex-Tory minister to head new Government body to bring tech to market faster
A former Conservative minister has been confirmed as the first head of a new Government body designed to being new technologies to market faster. Lord David Willetts has been confirmed as the first chairman of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO). The organisation was launched in October and is intended to reduce the burdens for businesses looking to bring new products and services to the market. Lord Willetts said he is 'honoured' to take on the role and hailed the 'exciting opportunity to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies'. Among the technologies the body could help make available are drones that can deliver medicines or AI training software for surgeons, officials at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said. Drones could also be looked at in relation to other industries such as faster delivery of packages or groceries. Lord Willetts served as the MP for Havant from 1992 to 2015, and was paymaster general for a time under Sir John Major, before returning to the government as universities and science minister in Lord David Cameron's administration. Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 'Lord Willetts brings the expertise and leadership experience that will be key to streamlining innovation and unapologetically unleash the innovation that we know can improve lives. 'By shaping regulatory approaches in key sectors – from drones that could deliver everything from groceries to medicines through to AI-powered tools speeding up NHS diagnoses – the Regulatory Innovation Office will be a central thread running through this Government's mission to improve lives, create jobs, and drive the economic growth across the country that is central to our Plan for Change.'
