Researchers have proposed using drones to improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for people experiencing cardiac arrests outside hospital settings. According to the British Heart Foundation, the UK experiences more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually where emergency services attempt resuscitation, though fewer than one in 10 people survive such events. Survival rates are significantly influenced by treatment speed, with each minute without CPR and defibrillation reducing survival chances by 10%.
A team led by Professor Matthieu Heidet of Henri-Mondor university hospital in France analyzed 28,349 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring between 2011 and 2024 across the Greater Paris area, excluding central Paris. They cross-referenced these cases with the locations of 1,893 fixed AEDs and found accessibility was uneven, with only 30% of cardiac arrest cases occurring within 500 metres of a fixed AED. The researchers determined that 910 additional fixed AEDs would be needed to achieve 84.5% coverage within this distance, while 1,712 would be required for complete coverage.
The study examined how drone deployment could supplement fixed AED infrastructure. Using drones with a 3,900-metre operating radius, the team modeled scenarios showing that 100 drone bases combined with 26 additional fixed AEDs could cover more than 97% of cardiac arrest cases. A configuration with 200 drone bases and just four extra AEDs would exceed 99% coverage. Current fixed AED access within a five-minute round trip retrieval window only covered 30-40% of cases, whereas drone delivery in the modeled scenario reached virtually all cardiac arrest cases within five minutes.
Heidet noted that drone-based AED delivery is already operational in parts of Sweden and has proven effective. The proposed system would involve trained drone pilots launching devices from various sites including AED locations, fire stations, and mobile intensive care units. Once activated by emergency dispatchers, drones would follow automated flight paths while pilots handle final approach and delivery. The research team acknowledged that economic feasibility and drone costs require consideration alongside the technical benefits of expanded coverage.
The study has not yet undergone peer review and will be presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress in Paris later this week.
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