Drones Delivering Hope: Empowering Amazonian Youth for a Healthier Future

In the Amazon region of Peru, a new initiative was launched involving drones in providing healthcare services to remote and hard-to-reach communities. For this reason, the Alliance for the Amazon and Peru Flying Labs visited the San Antonio del Estrecho in the Putumayo province of the Loreto Region to support strengthening young people's capacities in this community. The pilot program occurred from the 2nd to the 4th of November of 2022, consisting of three days of a theoretical demonstrative nature.

In collaboration with CEDRO Peru and USAID, a pilot plan was initiated to deliver emergency medicine to indigenous communities in the remote areas of the Peruvian Amazon. As a final test, an exercise was conducted between the El Estrecho and Miraflores localities in Putumayo on November 3rd, where a VTOL drone was used to deliver medical cargo for a distance of 4.5km. Furthermore, an opportunity was taken to interest approximately 20 young students in piloting and maintaining these aircraft.

Amazonian Students manipulating a Mavic Drone

The training included a session on using drones for medical transport and their maintenance. The young people were taught how to fly and maintain the drones. For the activity, we exhibited our equipment, such as the PWOne, Mavic 2 Pro, and WingtraOne. Students were taught in a classroom where our instructors explained the benefits for their community and the legal requirements for its use. They were also shown how to use drones to transport emergency medical supplies between the two localities.

This training benefits not only the young people of San Antonio del Estrecho but also the entire community, which will have access to emergency medical supplies more timely and efficiently. In addition, this pilot plan will serve as an example to show other regions of the Peruvian Amazon that this kind of technology can help develop the skills of future generations of drone pilots and technicians. The participants' parents expressed their gratitude for the experience and the opportunity given to them. Additionally, two children who participated in the program were winners of two drones donated by UAV from Peru to continue practicing their recently acquired skills and keep them motivated to learn more.
One of the challenges faced during the training was the need for proper infrastructure in the region, which made it difficult to transport the drones and equipment to the training location. However, this challenge was overcome with the local community's support, which helped transport the equipment.

A session of the In-Person Training

In conclusion, this training on drones for medical transport in the Amazon jungle is a significant step towards improving healthcare services in remote and hard-to-reach communities. We highlight our profound desire to replicate this pilot plan in other Peruvian Amazon regions.

We thank our partners, CEDRO and USAID, for supporting this project. We commit to continue working together to improve the quality of life of the Peruvian Amazon communities and promote inclusion and sustainable development in the region. We invite you to stay updated on our upcoming activities and projects.