BMT and Wright Airborne Computing showcased BMT SPARO's potential to transform battlefield medical logistics through a successful UK-US Army trial in the Mojave desert.
The British Army Futures Directorate sought to explore how BMT's SPARO innovation could enhance autonomous heavy-lift drones for battlefield medical logistics.
The need is for a resilient, reliable system capable of delivering essential payloads - such as blood, drugs and surgical equipment - quickly and safely in hostile and cluttered environments with minimal additional training burden.
Without SPARO, logistics drones require trained personnel to attach the payload, are dependent on suitably clear space at the destination and are vulnerable in hostile environments.
We partnered with Wright Airborne Computing to create a small robust SPARO prototype.
The system is uniquely capable of precise control of its descent and navigation, enabling it to lower from a drone hovering at 400ft to collect and deliver payloads in confined, complex terrain.
The project culminated in a three-week deployment alongside UK Army personnel during the US Army’s ‘Project CONVERGENCE’ exercise in California’s Mojave desert.
In realistic field conditions, the system successfully transported up to 10kg of potentially life-saving supplies from logistics hubs to forward medical posts near simulated points of injury.
The demonstration proved the operational value of BMT SPARO, highlighting its unique ability to deliver in environments where conventional resupply is impossible and drone resupply is unreliable. Benefits included:
The successful trial validated BMT SPARO as a key enabler for military medical support by solving fundamental weaknesses of drone logistics.
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