Delivering temperature-sensitive medicines to disaster-stricken areas – in this case hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico – is the goal of a drone demonstration conducted by AT&T, Merck and U.K.-based Softbox, which provides temperature control packaging tailored for the pharmaceutical industry. The delivery scheme based on an LTE-connected drone involves an array of advanced technologies, including Skypod thermal-insulated packaging and a smartbox powered by AT&T Internet of Things systems.
AT&T’s IoT technology tracks the Skypod with data displayed on a web and mobile app dashboard, which will flash alerts to prompt appropriate control actions. The app will signal a temperature change at resolutions of 2° to 8° C, and will indicate if the drone strays from predefined flight parameters. Light exposure data inform operators if there is box tampering during daylight by determining if the box is open or closed.
AT&T and Softbox adapted the Skybox from a connected flask prototype developed in the AT&T Foundry. Recent design revisions included moving the sensors that monitor temperature and location from the lid of the original prototype into the smartbox.
The Skypod’s sensor data transmission is managed by the AT&T Global SIM and AT&T Control Center. The drone is also connected to the AT&T network, providing a communications path for flight plan and telemetry data between the drone and ground control system.
The web and mobile app reporting dashboard uses the AT&T Asset Management Operations Center.
The drone carries Skypod thermal-insulated packaging and a smartbox powered by AT&T Internet of Things systems. Source: AT&T
