Medical Device Supplies Successfully Delivered by Drone to Patients on an Island

[Financial News] Yuyu Teijin Medicare, a company specializing in home respiratory medical devices, is pursuing drone deliveries of medical device supplies to ventilator-dependent patients in island areas.
 Yuyu Teijin Medicare announced on the 29th that it had conducted a demonstration delivering ventilator supplies by drone from Dara Port in Sanyang-eup, Tongyeong-si, South Gyeongsang Province, to Hakrim Island in cooperation with Tongyeong-si.
 During the demonstration, the drone carried about 500 grams of supplies, including ventilator breathing circuits and filters, and flew about 3 kilometers in a straight line from Dara Port. It arrived at a landing site on Hakrim Island about three minutes after takeoff, where the patient directly received the items.
 The trip from Dara Port to Hakrim Island previously took about 20 minutes by boat, but using a drone reduced the delivery time by about 85%.
 Passenger ferries to Hakrim Island operate four times a day, so the supply of medical device consumables and equipment inspection schedules had to be coordinated with ferry departure times. Supplies could also be delayed if ferries were canceled due to bad weather.
 Because ventilator breathing circuits and filters must be replaced on time, regular supplies are essential. Yuyu Teijin Medicare expects drone deliveries to reduce supply constraints caused by ferry schedules.
 Based on the delivery time, packaging safety, and recipient convenience confirmed during the demonstration, Yuyu Teijin Medicare plans to shift to a regular monthly delivery system within the year. In 2027, it will form a consortium with local governments and drone operators to expand the service to island areas in South Jeolla Province, including Wando and Jindo Island, that do not have drone delivery routes. The company plans to combine drone deliveries with existing in-home inspections to reduce service gaps for patients receiving care at home.
 The demonstration used a K-Drone Delivery route operated by Tongyeong-si through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT)'s "Drone Demonstration City Development Project." Since 2024, Tongyeong-si has provided drone delivery services to 16 island villages, including the Hansan Island and Sanyang areas, and was selected for the project for the third consecutive year this year.
 Yoo Won-sang, CEO of Yuyu Teijin Medicare, said, "Our goal is to ensure that patients living in island areas can receive the supplies they need at the same speed as people in urban areas." He added, "Based on our nationwide service network, we will make drone delivery the new standard for home care for patients in island areas nationwide."
 Jo Su-man, an official with Tongyeong-si's Information and Communications Division, said, "This is a case in which drone deliveries in island areas, previously focused on food and daily necessities, have expanded to medical device supplies for patients receiving care at home." He added, "K-Drone Delivery will serve as an opportunity to expand beyond the everyday convenience of island residents into the field of medical welfare."
 An affiliate of Yuyu Pharma, Yuyu Teijin Medicare provides nationwide rental and in-home management services for home respiratory medical devices, including oxygen generators (SOC), portable oxygen generators (POC), ventilators (VENT), and positive airway pressure devices (CPAP).

[email protected] Jeong Sang-hee Reporter