Drone delivery program targets rural healthcare gaps in Hsinchu
無人機醫療配送計畫旨在彌補新竹醫療方面的不足
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taiwan University Hospital’s Hsinchu branch has begun using drones to move medical supplies, with a focus on reaching rural areas where access can be slow or disrupted.
The hospital said the system, developed with local fire authorities and tech partners, is designed to deliver urgent items when terrain or distance makes road transport difficult, per CNA. Work on the system has been underway for several years. Hospital officials said testing over roughly four years focused on mountain routes and other hard-to-navigate areas, to build a reliable delivery model outside urban centers. The system is also intended for use during emergencies. If roads are blocked by natural disasters or other disruptions, drones can be used to send medicine and other supplies without waiting for ground routes to reopen, per the report. Officials added that the same approach could support firefighting and other response efforts. The project grew out of a team proposal recognized in a national innovation competition in 2024. Hospital leaders said they plan to extend flight routes over time as the system is refined. |
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| Tim Rinaldi Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-03-25 |
