The joint venture will be led by Skyports’ Bogota-based Colombia General Manager, Daniel Salamanca, who was the first person in Colombia to receive approval for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights.
He worked with the national government and the presidency to transport blood samples from rural areas to central hospitals, with the delivery trials benefiting more than 1,200 people and reducing waiting times for laboratory results by 75%.
Flights are expected to start in mid-2022 with operations being launched across remote areas including La Guajira and Choco, with a focus on carrying critical health supplies such as vaccines, pathology samples and HIV tests.
The drones will be provided by Swoop Aero and carry up to 5kg as far as 180km in harsh environments such as high altitudes, wind and rain.
The joint venture will build on Skyports’ proof of concept trials earlier this year, where Skyports partnered with the National Health Service in Scotland, transporting COVID-19 test samples, vital PPE and other medical materials by drone.
The trials reduced end-to-end delivery times by almost 95% from an average of 20 hours to one hour using drones.
Duncan Walker, CEO and Founder of Skyports says: “Our drone delivery operations are not just about commercial gains, but also about connecting rural communities with the necessities of life, such as healthcare and logistics. It’s our aim that people receive the same level of healthcare, everywhere in the world, regardless of where they live.”