Representatives from WeRobotics, a not-for-profit organization that specializes in international “robotics for good” initiatives, have announced that they successfully completed a series of test flights using UAS to deliver anti-venom and blood samples between Contamana and Pampa Hermosa, both of which are located in the Amazon Rainforest in Peru.

The flights, which took place between Dec. 12-21 of last year, were a part of a collaboration between WeRobotics, the Peruvian Ministry of Health and local doctors. WeRobotics’ local lab, the Peru Flying Labs, coordinated the actual flights themselves.

These flights could prove to be integral for local citizens in the region, as there are an estimated 45 snakebites per month that take place in the Contamana region alone. The usual mode of transportation, by boat or canoe, can take several hours between Contamana and Pampa Hermosa, but using the UAS, it took just 35 minutes for anti-venom to be delivered from one location to another during testing in front of local citizens.

Originally, the WeRobotics team was supposed to use a UAS shipped from North America to conduct the flights, but that UAS was deemed too unstable to fly. In a move of improvisation, the WeRobotics team decided to use an older E384 fixed-wing mapping drone to conduct the flights.

The E384 UAS, which was 90 percent cheaper than the original UAS that was supposed to be used, proved to be more than accommodating for these flights. Also, because the E384 is so much cheaper, its repair costs were also significantly cheaper, which is a good thing considering the UAS landed in a coconut tree during its nighttime flight. It only took $3 dollars to make those repairs, though.

Thanks to the success of these initial flights, WeRobotics has been invited back to conduct more flights by the Ministry of Health and local doctors. During future flights in May of this year, WeRobotics plans on expanding the delivery distance past 100 kilometers.

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