Problem Statement Second Draft
Problem Statement Second Draft
Problem Statement Second Draft
1.0 Overview............................................................................................................ 3
2.0 - Significance of Problem...................................................................................... 4
3.0 - Proposed Solution............................................................................................... 5
3.1 Procedure.......................................................................................................... 5
3.2 - Specialized Drones.......................................................................................... 6
3.3 - Key Features of the Medical Drones:...............................................................7
i) Auto-Pilot.......................................................................................................... 7
ii) GPS Flight Assistance....................................................................................... 7
iii) Coming Home.................................................................................................. 7
iv) Camera........................................................................................................... 7
v) Motion Detector............................................................................................... 7
vi) Electric Powered.............................................................................................. 8
vii) Weather Adaptability...................................................................................... 8
3.4 - Target Market.................................................................................................. 8
4.0 - Design Constraints........................................................................................... 10
4.1 - Battery.......................................................................................................... 10
4.2 - Weather conditions....................................................................................... 10
4.3 - Privacy.......................................................................................................... 10
5.0 - Current Drones in the Market...........................................................................11
5.1- Allied Drones [9]............................................................................................. 11
5.2 - DJI Matrice 600 Pro [10]................................................................................ 11
5.3 - Flytrex Sky [11]............................................................................................. 12
6.0 - Benefits of Emergency Medical Drones............................................................12
6.1 - Efficiency....................................................................................................... 12
6.2 Convenience................................................................................................. 12
6.3 - Accessibility.................................................................................................. 13
7.0 - Conclusion........................................................................................................ 14
8.0 References....................................................................................................... 15
1.0 Overview
Like many places which use automobiles as the main method of transport,
Qatar is commonplace to road accidents. The Ministry of Development
Planning and Statistics released monthly statistics highlighted that fatal road
accidents claimed the lives of 80 people across Qatar over the first half of
2016 [1]. According to Dr. Rafael Consunji, a Trauma Surgery Section Injury
Prevention director from Hamad General Hospital (HGH), 71% of these
deaths happen on the scene of the accident, [2]. As a result, to reduce the
number of fatalities; medical drones are the next step towards improving
emergency healthcare accessibility and resolving a serious and ongoing
issue in Qatar.
Another issue which has caught the attention of international news outlets
and safety organizations such as International Amnesty, is the increasing
number of accidents and deaths occurring at construction sites. By
implementing medical drones, we can ensure that the number of fatal
accidents will decrease due to a faster response rate to emergencies. In
addition, medical drones can be very useful when being sent to construction
sites where the accident happens at elevated locations which would take
longer to reach if pursued by other methods.
On the other hand, Air Ambulance services can only be dispatched to reach
otherwise isolated areas or to aid patients that are in extremely urgent
cases. Also, the topic of when to dispatch a helicopter ambulance remains a
highly debated topic among the various emergency medical service (EMS)
providers, as pointed out and studied extensively by the American College of
Emergency Physicians [4].
Not only that, but the request for immediate assistance through 999 is not
always justified. Too often, many resources are invested in cases that
wouldve easily been dealt with were there other forms of service. Karen
Auge, a The Denver Post reporter, talks about this conflict in detail.
According to Auge, many emergency calls arent emergencies at all but are
medical situations best handled in a doctors office [5]. Yet again, we see
this trend not only evident in the more Western part of the world, but right in
the heart of the Gulf region. The Peninsula, in a recent post, claims that the
Qatari EMS receives 5,000 to 6,000 calls per day, 80% of which are non-
urgent [6]. Although Qatar has taken steps to resolve such arising issues,
such as introducing special ambulances that are meant to take care of
patients mobility and non-urgent use, the conflict with traffic in this small
country still hinders many of those well-intentioned programs.
Also, most of those vehicles are used to transport patients that are already
being taken care of in one hospital or to offer pre-registered assistance.
There is no success to be found of a service that offers simultaneous and
immediate medical assistance to patients throughout the country.
The first few minutes after an accident are critical and it is vital to provide
the correct medical attention to thwart further complications. Thus,
accelerating the response rate is one of the core goals of our project.
3.1 Procedure
The image below shows the operation cycle of an emergency medical drone.
It explains the necessary steps when responding to an emergency.
Each of the medical drones could carry up to 12 Kg of aid which can include
lifesaving technologies, such as:
Specific medication
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Emergency Allergy Shots
General First-Aid Kits
Autonomous drones are also free from human error which can significantly
reduce the chances of accidents. However, when needed, an operator can
choose to control the drone when problems arise such as a fault with the
navigation system.
iv) Camera
A camera would be attached to the drone to facilitate multiple tasks. The
main task of the camera is to provide instructions to the people at the
accident scene. Along with a built-in speaker, an operator could instruct the
individual the steps regarding how to use any of the equipment. The
secondary task of the camera is to monitor traffic when flying to the
accidents location so that if an ambulance is needed, it could indicate which
roads are best to avoid due to traffic.
v) Motion Detector
The motion detector analyzes the drones surroundings around a five-meter
radius to avoid any mid-air collisions that would disrupt the flight or
damage any of the components.
Also, it is important to note that not all the listed medical centers can
dispatch ambulances. This is because not every medical center has the
necessary capital and human resources to facilitate an emergency service.
Thus, medical drones are a convenient alternative as they do not require
much resources and cost very little (30,000 Riyals) when compared to a van-
ambulance (250,000+ Riyals). *See section 6.0 which explains more benefits
as to why drones are better than their current counterparts.
The picture below shows all the medical centers currently available around
Qatar.
Our initial aim is to provide 5 drones to the main medical center (Hamad
Medical Center) and study how much they are used and how effective they
are. Hamad Medical Center was chosen as the likely candidate for our study
because it is the main healthcare center in Qatar and it receives the most
emergencies per day [7]. Once a full analysis has been conducted for a
period of 6 months, a data report can be produced and shared with the rest
of the medical centers to potentially convince them to buy the product.
The report will focus on the effectiveness of the medical drones. Our criteria
for effectiveness are:
The market for this product not only serves for emergency circumstances but
the scope can range to medical deliveries (blood supplies) and search and
rescue missions whereby the drones can be used to aid firefighters and
emergency personnel to rescue people in danger.
Having a sleek body design, the drones are less restricted when
maneuvering compared to current transportation means because the drones
aerodynamics along with the quadrotors provide enough thrust power to lift
the payload without degrading the speed factor. This aspect comes in handy
when dealing with situations in which the patient is stuck in traffic or trapped
inside a building. The medical drone will be able to land and move on ground
thanks to the special wheels that will be attached to its base to prevent
unnecessary damage to the body and expand the range of motion to include
on and off ground movement. In other words, drones will not only save time,
but also may save much more lives than common methods used.
6.2 Convenience
To make Doha a smart city, easy operating mechanisms along with
automated functionality are required to achieve that goal. Drone stations are
easy to operate and will immediately function accordingly. This is very crucial
because even though Doha has a relatively quick medical transportation
system, statistics from police departments show that it takes an ambulance
15 minutes to reach its destination through the fastest route possible. As
Qatars population increases, the resulted traffic will cause more challenges
that will make the traditional medical system inefficient.
One of the drones main functions is autonomous piloting in which the drone
will make use of its built-in GPS system and navigation system to arrive to its
destination. A main control center will also track and provide the drones
coordinates with respect to other drones. Thus, the likelihood of errors is very
low when compared to human errors. When necessary, the drones will offer a
manual control option in which professional operators will take control if the
situation requires so.
For the convenience of the medical staff, the medical drone system is
operated by simple commands which will only direct the drone to the
required medical equipment and to the patients location. Our simple user
interface will reduce certain complications the hospital staff face might face.
Also, the drones will make use of its built-in camera and speakers to
communicate verbal commands to the patients making the process more
responsive. In case a doctor needs to ask questions or give out specific
procedures, the camera can start a live feed of the patient.
6.3 - Accessibility
Synchronizing Hamads Medical Hospital (HMC) services with what drones
are capable of will result in smoother operation and faster feedback to reach
the patient.
The drone station will be built to allow takeoff from a higher altitude. The
reason being is that the earths lowest atmosphere layer, known as the
troposphere, is home to most of the atmospheric changes which will result in
a poor performance and an increase in software/hardware errors. For
instance, taking off from a higher altitude in case of a foggy weather will
ensure better vision from the drones built-in cameras. Furthermore, drone
stations will be located in accident-heavy areas which will provide medical
services in an agile manner leaving no patients left behind around the clock.
On the long run, drone stations, will enhance the medical aid system as not
all hospitals can dispatch ambulances. A network system of drone stations
will cover most of the areas within and Doha, making accessible to most of
the population.
In addition, with drone stations being built next to hospitals, we will be able
to cover most of the common injuries as any required medication can be
escorted by hospital personnel to the drone station. Thus, many lives will be
saved whether the scenario is an injury or a required dose of medication
making the system a bit more flexible and adaptive.
7.0 - Conclusion
Health and hospitalization are becoming increasingly vital concerns,
especially in Qatar. Due to various existing problems in the hospitalization
methods that are present locally, the EMSs1 need for new technological aids
is growing larger every day. Drones have proven to offer fast and reliable
transportation methodology for mild medical needs or urgent calls where
contemporary methods are deemed inefficient. A network of many unique
autonomous medical drones will bring Qatar a step closer towards its vision.
This network will not only save Qatar many unnecessary costs, but also help
save a life when one second can be the deciding factor.
[2:3] CW Staff. Construction accidents on the rise in Qatar. [Feb 11, 2013]
Internet:http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-20865-construction-
accidents-on-the-rise-in-qatar/#.UYea_LVTDms [Accessed: Feb 12, 2017]