Challenges for the Drone Logistics Sector in Complying with Dangerous Goods Regulations: A Case Study in a UK Healthcare Setting

Using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, for logistics is an area of interest that can involve payloads containing substances classified by the United Nations as dangerous goods (DGs) when transported by air, particularly for medical use cases. Drones are a relatively new logistics mode, and the associated regulatory environment governing their use is also new and evolving. This research investigated the potential for drone payloads to contain DGs and identified the associated challenges, both legislative and practical, facing the drone logistics sector. This was achieved through a review of DG regulations, an assessment of medical payloads to quantify potential to contain DGs, and practical insight gained from developing a novel medical carrier compatible with regulations governing DG transportation by drone. Results suggest that, from an analysis of over 44,000 safety data sheets, ~10% of medicines were classified as DGs and that stipulated procedures to demonstrate compliance with DG regulations are unlikely to be scalable in accordance with the forecast expansion of the sector due to their challenging and resource intensive requirements.