Verizon has been involved in more than 17,000 drone flights since 2017
Verizon Public Sector is developing and testing 5G MEC and drone technology with the Veterans Health Administration’s National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation (NCCHI) and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). The hope is that these tests, which involve advanced sensor-enabled drones and FAA-compliant pilot training, will demonstrate how such tools can improve safety, security and physical infrastructure monitoring operations.
“This collaborative work is designed to enhance the safety of our patients and staff in the event of emergencies by leveraging cutting-edge technologies for improved situational awareness, strategic coordination, and response times,” explained Dr. Thomas Osborne, director of the National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation (NCCHI) and Chief Medical Informatics. “On a more routine basis, the advanced sensors, combined with the agility of the aerial perspective, can also expand our ability to proactively monitor vital hospital infrastructure.”
Specifically, Verizon and VHA are evaluating how drone technology can improve search and rescue performance in situations such as patient elopement. Further, the pair have also developed a comprehensive capabilities roadmap that include partnership with other agencies as well as the inclusion of additional enhancements like autonomous operations capabilities for improved safety, the companies said.
“Our combined 5G MEC and drone partnership with the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System is the next step in the VA’s innovation journey, and it represents how other federal agencies can adopt next-generation technologies to help improve the way they serve their constituents,” said Maggie Hallbach, senior vice president of Public Sector at Verizon. “5G is reshaping how VHA operates and cares for its patients, and Verizon Public Sector is uniquely positioned to deliver the technology and network to support the VA’s mission to provide top quality care for our nation’s veterans.”
In September, Verizon announced that it had become the first corporate drone program to receive the International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) registration for best practices for its commercial drone program. This designation indicates that Verizon has validated that its drone program is of high safety and governance standards, and as such, can expand its drone efforts to include operations into more complex areas, such as flights beyond visual line of sight.
Since Verizon purchased drone management firm Skyward and created its drone program in 2017, the carrier has been involved in more than 17,000 flights that total over 4,000 flight hours and span across critical business functions, including the support of its own network.
