The EENA–Everdrone project explores a life-saving innovation: using drones to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) emergencies. Every year, around 275,000 people in Europe suffer an OHCA, with survival rates remaining low, especially when emergency services take several minutes to arrive. Early defibrillation is critical—every minute without it reduces the chance of survival by 10%.
To address this urgent challenge, EENA and Everdrone partnered with Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and SOS Alarm to trial a cutting-edge system where drones equipped with AEDs are dispatched alongside ambulances. The goal was to reduce response times and improve access to defibrillators in both urban and rural areas. The project builds on emerging technologies in UAV autonomy, navigation, and airspace management, and is one of the first real-world clinical trials of its kind.
How the system works
The system integrates fully with Sweden’s national 112 emergency call infrastructure. When a suspected cardiac arrest is identified, an automated alert is sent to the drone operator. After a quick safety and weather check, the drone takes off autonomously, flying at speeds of up to 70 km/h and covering distances up to 5 km. Equipped with a winch system, the drone lowers the AED to a safe landing spot near the caller while remaining airborne. Dispatchers then guide the caller to retrieve the device and use it on the patient before medical professionals arrive.
In a 2020 pilot study covering 80,000 residents in suburban Sweden, AED-equipped drones were dispatched to 12 real emergency alerts. In 92% of cases, the drone successfully delivered the AED, and in 64% of those, it arrived before the ambulance—saving a median of nearly two minutes, which can be life-saving in OHCA scenarios. The system was shown to be safe, reliable, and easy to integrate with existing emergency dispatch operations.
The project also addressed technical and regulatory challenges, including flight safety, weather constraints, integration with air traffic control, and public perception. In total, over 60 dispatchers were trained to use the system, and the drones themselves were equipped with GPS, backup visual positioning, secure LTE connectivity, and automated safety mechanisms including parachutes and obstacle avoidance systems.
Transforming emergency medical response
The project demonstrates the clear potential of drone technology to enhance emergency healthcare, especially in semi-urban and rural areas where ambulance response times may be longer and AEDs are less accessible. Experts across Europe contributed insights on how to scale the system, improve cost-efficiency, and align with airspace regulations. Key findings suggest that semi-urban areas offer the best combination of population density, accessibility, and regulatory feasibility.
Beyond cardiac arrests, the drone infrastructure developed through this project could be adapted for broader emergency use cases—delivering other medical supplies, acting as early “eyes on the scene,” or supporting disaster response in hard-to-reach areas.
While more pilots and data are needed, the EENA–Everdrone project sets a strong precedent for making drone-based AED delivery part of standard emergency response strategies across Europe. With the technology now mature and EU regulations evolving to support such missions, the time is right to move from pilot projects to permanent life-saving services.