Flying objects operated by those in the medical industry will help by transporting equipment, samples and blood donations, and aid in emergency situations.

It will also monitor and pick up on potential infrastructure threats and water supplies to ensure infectious or hazardous threats are flagged before causing harm.

The project – dubbed ‘Ziv Eye’ – came into effect yesterday after being announced at a conference, and will be first implemented at the the Ziv Medical Center, Northern Israel.

The small aerial vehicles are equipped with zoom and thermal cameras, which allows for scans in night and difficult weather conditions, and provides a live broadcast to the security forces, security teams, and the center’s management in real time.

The project is overseen by the Ministry of Health. Dr. Sefi Mendelovich, Deputy Director General said: “Integrating drone technology into the health system is a critical step in building the pillars of the national emergency response and in the following stages – also in routine.

“The start of activity at Ziv Hospital, which identified the potential, is the first swallow within the framework of the national drone project that the ministry is leading.

“The project, which works to implement a vision of widespread use of drones in the worlds of health, is a breakthrough on a national and international level.

“It began in the worlds of security and safety, and continued into the worlds of transporting medicines and tests, and from there, the sky is not the limit.

“This unique project brings to fruition the ministry’s concept of promoting enabling regulation and innovation and illustrates the need to create capabilities and infrastructure for a constantly changing reality.”

The drone is operated by a dedicated remote control system, and is permanently stationed on one of the roofs of the Bezio Medical Center.

Professor Salman Zarka, Director of Ziv Medical Center commented: “It is a significant project for us at Ziv, given the size of our area spread over two campuses, as well as a significant addition to our capacity in the sanctuary.

“The drone that Ziv was equipped with is an additional means of reinforcing security and managing complexities such as road availability, traffic jams, the arrival of ambulances and teams to the hospital, which is especially important during urgent events.

“The drone will allow us to streamline logistics, especially at the interface between the two campuses, as well as provide a revealing and deterrent eye for safety issues. We are proud to be the first to implement the innovative operating model and share the knowledge with the rest of the health system.”

Ziv Medical Center is a significant hospital for the North of Israel and is spread across two main campuses close to the border of Syria and Lebanon. On average, around 300,000 patients are treated there a year.

In parallel with the operational deployment, the Ministry of Health is leading a strategic move to formulate regulations, train teams, and implement similar models in other medical institutions – in collaboration with the Israeli Medical Association, researchers, drone manufacturers, and the hospitals themselves.

PHOTO: Use according to Section 27 A