Delivering Medical Devices via Drone
Problem statement
During cardiac distress, minutes matter; “the survival rate from cardiac arrest drops by 7-10% for every minute that a patient has to wait for defibrillation” [1]. With the complex terrain of wilderness sports, AED access is very limited and takes a life-threatening time to transport quickly. During the American Birkebeiner in 2023, there were two separate instances of cardiac arrest. The first one was located close to the start line, so the emergency response team was able to quickly apply proper AED medical support and revive the victim. The second patient was located much farther into the race at a remote location. Patrons performed CPR as first responders rushed there with an AED, but they were not able to revive the victim because of the remote location and the time impact that it had [2]. Due to these events and events like this, participants need a way for AEDS to be delivered more efficiently because the conventional methods are too slow, which can lead to preventable patient deaths. Our team is dedicated to helping reduce the number of preventable deaths by implementing a drone that can deploy an AED to more efficiently deliver medical equipment to remote areas, which in turn can save lives. In conclusion, our project is designed for Birkebeiner participants to ensure the safe delivery of medical devices in a timely manner, in order to save lives.
[1] “What Is The Defibrillator Survival Rate | AED USA Knowledge,” AED USA. https://www.aedusa.com/knowledge/what-is-the-defibrillator-survival-rate/ (accessed Sep. 18, 2025).
[2] T. Boettcher, “Kortelopet skier dies from heart issue; 85 skiers treated for medical issues,” APG of Wisconsin, Mar. 2023. https://www.apg-wi.com/sawyer_county_record/kortelopet-skier-dies-from-heart-issue-85-skiers-treated-for-medical-issues/article_b432e5e8-b780-11ed-b8fd-7bdd8ccd4c31.html (accessed Sep. 18, 2025).
Team members
Alicia Ford – facilitator
Bailey Flock – accountant
Isabella Krasotin – communicator
Naleah Boys – admin
Client
Lennon Rodgers
UW – DI Lab