Seine-Maritime launches drone defibrillator deliveries for cardiac arrests
Normandy department becomes the first place in France to dispatch defibrillators by drone, aiming to speed up cardiac arrest treatment and save lives
Published
Seine-Maritime has become the first department in France where defibrillators can be delivered by drone to people suffering cardiac arrest, with health officials hoping the technology will save lives by cutting the time taken to begin treatment.
The scheme became operational in July after a year of trials in Forges-les-Eaux and the necessary regulatory approvals. A second drone base has also been installed in Bois-Guillaume, extending coverage across parts of the department.
“This revolutionary solution enables life-saving care to begin before the arrival of the emergency services, thereby increasing the chances of survival,” said the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Rouen.
The project was developed by the department’s emergency medical service, SAMU76, and Délivrone, a start-up based in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray. Inspired by a similar scheme in Sweden, it allows emergency operators to dispatch a drone carrying a defibrillator alongside ambulances and other responders when someone reports a cardiac arrest.
The drone can be sent if the patient is within its 7.5km operating radius, currently covering more than 400,000 residents. It lands close to the scene and delivers a defibrillator with simple instructions for bystanders while medical teams are still travelling. It can fly day and night in a range of weather conditions at speeds of up to 65km/h.
“Every minute saved really does count,” said Délivrone co-founder Gautier Dhaussy. “Today, with the service up and running, we are very proud and eager for it to make a difference.”
Almost 50,000 people in France suffer a cardiac arrest outside hospital each
year, according to the CHU. Officials hope the Seine-Maritime scheme could become a model for other departments if it proves successful.
