China's medical firm uses drone to deliver biological samples

GUANGZHOU, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A multi-rotor drone carrying biological samples took off from a hospital in south China's megacity of Guangzhou on Monday to replace road transport for the testing delivery in Guangzhou KingMed Diagnostics Group Co., Ltd, a Chinese medical diagnostic testing company.

With its highest speed of 50 km per hour, the drone spent ten minutes completing the delivery, far less than the 30 minutes it takes with a vehicle.

Liu Weimin, manager of the logistics management center of KingMed Diagnostics, said that drones usually carry a weight of less than 5 kg, which is suitable for transporting biological samples.

The manager added that the company's drone was equipped with a specimen carton for cold chain logistics to ensure sample safety, and the delivery is free of human contact.

Qu Hongying, president of the Guangdong Second Provincial Central Hospital, said that KingMed Diagnostics' testing service could assist the hospital's clinical labs in providing patients with quick medical test results.