Testing Emergency Drone Delivery of AEDs for Cardiac Arrest in Rural and Urban Communities in the US

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are developing and testing a drone delivery system designed to bring automated external defibrillators AEDs quickly to people experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrests OHCA in rural communities. The goal is to determine if drones can deliver AEDs faster than traditional first responders and emergency medical services EMS, potentially improving survival rates. This project includes multiple aims focusing on analyzing existing data, optimizing AED placement, and piloting drone delivery in selected areas. The study involves integrating AED-equipped drones into existing FAA-approved drone-as-first-responder programs in rural and urban communities. The pilot test will take place in six communities, including four rural and two urban areas, where real-time and simulated OHCAs will be used to assess the drone programs ability to arrive before EMS, deliver AEDs safely without interrupting bystanders, and treat suspected cardiac arrest patients. Simulations will also test the drones delivery speed and deployment effectiveness. Participants will be patients aged 18 or older who experience non-traumatic cardiac arrest recorded in the CARES registry. Researchers will monitor time differences between drone AED arrival and EMS arrival, measure how often drones arrive first, and evaluate AED deployment success. Additional assessments include drone altitude during deployment and bystander AED use rates. The study will follow outcomes over periods of 6 to 15 months, with ongoing safety and effectiveness evaluations.

Developing and Testing Drone-Delivered AEDs for Cardiac Arrests In Rural America