A drone has been used to deliver a donor kidney for the first time

Drones could get donor organs to recipients more quickly than more traditional methods.

The test: On April 19 a drone delivered a donor kidney to surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center, from a hospital about three miles away. The kidney was then successfully transplanted into a patient with renal failure. It’s the first time a drone has been used to drop off an organ for a transplant.

The technology: The drone was custom-built. The university created a special apparatus able to measure and maintain temperature, barometric pressure, altitude, vibration, and location, to ensure that the organ was kept in the best possible condition during the flight.

A small but significant step: This isn’t the first time a drone has been used to deliver medical supplies, but organ transport is particularly sensitive. Organs can survive for only a few hours outside the body, so timing is crucial.