Drone Delivery of Blood Samples Trialled in Abu Dhabi

Drone delivery of blood samples is being piloted in Abu Dhabi to reduce diagnostic turnaround times, with PureLab and LODD Autonomous transporting samples between Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and PureLab’s Abu Dhabi headquarters using unmanned aerial vehicles. The pilot is supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and was unveiled during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council. The project operates under the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries cluster, which focuses on advancing intelligent mobility solutions. Officials said the trials aim to accelerate medical logistics and reduce environmental impact, with findings to guide clear standards and regulatory frameworks for potential commercial use of medical air transport technologies in the emirate. PureLab, a subsidiary of PureHealth, operates over 140 ISO-accredited laboratories across the UAE and conducts more than 32 million tests annually. The collaboration was presented as a real-world demonstration of autonomous aviation applications in healthcare logistics, focused on fast and safe transport of vital samples for timely diagnosis.