Drone Delivery of Automated External Defibrillators to Lay Users (DAEDALUS): A Proof of Concept Study

Summary in non-technical language

Aim(s) of the research

We are working on a way to use drones to deliver Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) - devices that help restart a person's heart by giving it an electric shock. These drones will bring AEDs to people helping someone having a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting. Our goal is to make sure everything works smoothly, from the time the emergency call is made to when the AED helps the patient. This research is important because it will help us find out the best process to deliver AEDs by drone and what challenges might come up.

Background to the research

A cardiac arrest happens when a person's heart suddenly stops, which stops blood from getting to their organs. Acting fast is very important. In the UK, less than 10% of people survive cardiac arrests because it often takes too long to get them the help they need. AEDs can save lives by restarting the heart, but they need to get to the patient quickly.

Design and methods used

This project has two main parts:

1. Creating the drone delivery process:

We will develop a system to get an AED to someone in need, from the moment someone calls 999 to when the AED reaches the patient. This involves working with emergency services, Air Traffic Control, and drone operators. We will test how this works using testing sessions with training manikins at Redhill Aerodrome over four days. We will measure how long things take and gather feedback to improve the process after each session. 2. Interviews:

We will talk to people who have been involved in a cardiac arrest, like patients, family members, carers, or members of the public who have helped someone having a cardiac arrest. We will also speak to people who have no experience of cardiac arrests, to understand how they feel about drones delivering AEDs. We want to know if people think this is a good idea and what challenges or concerns they might have.

Patient and Public Involvement

A group of patients, family members/carers, and members of the public will help us check that our plans are practical and clear and will provide feedback throughout the study. They will also help review the results and create materials to share with the public. We will provide training, so everyone feels comfortable contributing.

Dissemination

We will keep everyone updated through a newsletter on our website and social media. The public involvement group will review and contribute to these updates. We will also hold public events and share our findings in reports, journal articles, conferences and webinars, so a wide range of people can access the results.