15-04-2025
Nonprofit partners with Drone814 to save lives in Central PA
CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Nearly three years ago, several organizations in Cambria County devised an idea to deliver life-saving medical equipment with drones. The idea is set to become a reality by this summer.
On Monday, Aerium, a nonprofit at the forefront of aviation workforce development, announced its role as a strategic partner in the Drone814 (ELSa-M3) initiative.
'Someone will call 911. If the issue matches the medical equipment on board the drone, we will dispatch the drone along with the ambulance while the ambulance is en route to you. The drone is also en route, and because the drone doesn't have to navigate traffic, worry about roads, the drone can get there in a few minutes,' John Eberhardt, Managing Director at ATA Aviation said.
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The 911 dispatcher will provide instructions on how to use the equipment while crews are on their way. Some equipment they're prepared to deliver is Narcan, defibrillators, tourniquets and oral glucose.
Eberhardt said they need to use all the tools at their disposal to ensure that public safety services can serve people. The initial program will launch around Johnstown, Southmont and Westmont.
'We're focused there because we have to start in a small area to prove out the concept and collect the safety data to show the FAA that the program is safe,' Eberhardt noted.
Test flights are expected to start the first week of June. Then more flights will come in July and August.
'We will be doing actual live delivery flights for two weeks in the middle of July and two weeks in the middle of August. And the reason for that is to collect the data that we need to go back to the FAA and get final approvals, and then also go back to the USDOT for our next round of funding so we can make this a full-time service,' Eberhardt added.
The data that's collected will not include any personal information or video. Once launched, the organization is also looking to expand to Somerset, Blair, Westmoreland and Indiana Counties.
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