Unifly, a provider of UTM technology and part of the Terra Drone Group, has announced that its UTM platform enabled the delivery of real-time U-space services for medical drone delivery trials in Belgium, operated by Skyports Drone Services.
This demonstration was one of the first in Europe to show safe and regulatory-compliant drone delivery of emergency medical supplies across borders.
Launched on 1 August, the trial involved Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone flights between the hospital campuses of AZ Turnhout in the Kempen region. The aircraft was remotely piloted from the United Kingdom and carried time-sensitive medical cargo, including pathology samples and medications.
The Kempen region, a semi-rural area in northern Belgium, faces challenges such as long distances between healthcare facilities and limited flexibility in ground transportation. Drones offer a faster and more efficient alternative for urgent medical logistics, enabling hospitals to reduce delivery times, improve coordination of care, and support the delivery of personalised treatments such as chemotherapy.
By reducing ground transport times from 30 minutes to under 13 minutes, the operation demonstrated the potential of drones to accelerate access to critical care, particularly for personalised therapies.
Unifly and SkeyDrone are both partners in the BURDI project, co-funded by the European Union and the SESAR Joint Undertaking. BURDI aims to validate scalable, cross-border U-space architectures under real-world conditions.
“This project is a clear example of how drone technology can bring real value to society. By safely connecting hospitals through the air, we’re opening the door to faster, more responsive healthcare. I’m proud that Unifly’s UTM technology plays a role in making this future a reality,” said Andres Van Swalm, CEO of Unifly.
Unifly’s platform enabled digital flight planning and automated authorisations, real-time airspace and traffic monitoring, tactical deconfliction and conformance monitoring, as well as integration with cross-border regulatory authorities.
