Summary Reader Response Draft 1

The article written by Balasubramanian (2022), " Drones May Become 'The Next Big Thing' in Healthcare Delivery", highlights the prospective use of healthcare drones, and that there could be a significant enhancement in healthcare efficiency, especially in rural areas. AEDs have been delivered within 3 minutes and a success rate of 92%. Recent developments have been made to advance drone technology and other drone applications. Some drones are also currently being used to deliver AEDs, vaccines, and medicines. Zipline is a prime example in this field of healthcare drones. The webpage "Zipline (drone delivery)" from Handwiki (n.d), elucidates the technical aspects of the drone. During delivery, the autonomous drone delivers packages by descending to 20-35 meters above the ground, dropping the healthcare package with a parachute. With a payload of 1.75 kilograms, a cruising speed of 101km/h, and an altitude of 80-120 meters above the ground, the drone is able to make delivery within 45 minutes. Batteries are quickly replaceable and fast turnaround flights are possible, and the fuselage's carbon-fiber frame and outer polystyrene shell enhance its lightweight capabilities.

Healthcare drones have the potential to propel healthcare efficiency and significantly increase the accessibility of medicinal treatment in rural areas, though some argue that the current drones are underdeveloped and infringe on their safety. 

A major feature of the Zipline drone's operation would be the "supercapacitor-powered electric catapult launcher. It is of paramount importance to the operation as it significantly contributes to the short takeoff distance, greatly reducing the space needed for the drone to go airborne, in effect, more drone centers can be constructed and give wider healthcare coverage to villages. According to a report titled "A Hybrid Power System for Unmade Aerial Vehicle Electromagnetic: by Wang, Jun Wu, and  Huang(2018), a hybrid energy storage system consisting of a battery, charging circuit, supercapacitor, discharge circuit, and a linear motor allows the catapult system to work continuously. 

The drone's carbon-fiber frame and its outer polystyrene shell results in a body that is lightweight and strong. With reference to the article "Fabrication and Properties of Carbon Fibers", by Huang (2009), Carbon fibers have good tensile properties, low densities, and high thermal and chemical stabilities, while polystyrene is rigid and brittle. The combination of both materials allows for a well-rounded drone that can operate in rough terrain and adverse weather. The lightweight material enhances the range and increases the payload of the drone. The brittle nature of the polystyrene allows for the fragmentation of the drone's body with the ground in the event of a crash, allowing for a softer impact on infrastructure or humans. Another safety aspect of the drone is the two redundant propellers installed as a backup. Similar to commercial planes, the redundancy systems are in place to kick in in the event of an unexpected failure. The redundant propellers ensure continuity of flight, preventing it from crashing or falling out of the sky, and also contributing to delivery efficiency.

The article from World Economic Forum titled "How drones delivering vaccines are saving lives in India" (2022), claimed that the "Majority of India's 1.4 Billion citizens are served by roughly 30,00 government-run primary healthcare centers, but at least 5-10% of them are inaccessible to medical suppliers owing to geographic locations and natural disasters". The current state of India highlights the importance of healthcare drones whose operations are unaffected by terrain. 

On top of the delivery of medical supplies, there are many other potential uses for healthcare drones. According to the article "How Drones Will Transform Healthcare Industry" written by AeoLogic (n.d), healthcare drones could also provide organ transportation, perform emergency surgeries, and deliver live video feeds of high-risk birth procedures. For example, with the use of drone infrared cameras, doctors are able to detect tumors without any harmful procedures or radiation.

However, the implementation of healthcare drones does not come without downsides. As far as programming or material development goes, there are bound to be risks of collisions with buildings, people, or wildlife, and people are cautious and wary about their safety when healthcare drones are flying overhead. Furthermore, the introduction of healthcare drones for delivery implies that the delivery riders or drivers are unessential, threatening their job security. 

In conclusion, the benefits of the use of the Zipline drone for enhancing healthcare efficiency and the accessibility of healthcare treatment have been expounded through the course of this summary. With the current level of drone development, healthcare drones should be implemented slowly in the community to gain the trust of the public. With bigger socio-economic support from larger hospitals and stakeholders, a smaller barrier would have to be crossed to achieve greater healthcare efficiency.