I-Corps: Translation Potential of Intelligent Aerial Logistics for Time-Critical Organ Transportation

Award ID: 2632124

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a logistics platform for time-sensitive aerial transportation of organs and other critical medical materials. Organ transportation frequently relies on multimodal logistics that combine ground couriers, ambulances, charter aircraft, and commercial flights. Delays, uncertain arrival times, and limited tracking reduce organ viability and hinder clinical preparation and outcomes. This technology combines customizable drones or electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with organ-preservation support, real-time condition monitoring, and tracking. This technology may help organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, hospitals, and healthcare logistics providers reduce delays, improve coordination, and enable faster and more predictable delivery of organs and other urgent medical supplies. In addition, this may improve transplant outcomes and increase healthcare access. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of an autonomous aerial medical logistics platform for time-critical organ and medical-material transportation. These aircraft enable direct, point-to-point transport between donor hospitals, transplant centers, and airports, bypassing congested road networks. Unlike many existing drone delivery platforms designed primarily for consumer package logistics, this system is optimized for high-reliability healthcare transportation by incorporating medical-grade payload protection, including thermal stabilization, low-vibration transport, real-time monitoring, and compatibility with portable perfusion devices when required. The architecture integrates autonomous flight management, redundant navigation, and communication systems to support operations during extended missions. In addition, the technology combines autonomous, condition-aware transport with clinical workflow coordination within a single framework. This may provide an organ-specific design that distinguishes it from conventional couriers and general-purpose delivery drones. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman