Tampa General Hospital to Launch Drone-Delivered Whole Blood Program

Starting in October 2026, the program will deploy unmanned aerial systems from two Hillsborough County Fire Rescue stations—Station 9 in the Faulkenburg/Sabal Park area and Station 37 in Riverview. These locations were selected due to the high frequency of penetrating trauma and hemorrhagic injuries recorded in those regions. The initiative, a collaboration between Tampa General Hospital, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, USF Health, OneBlood, and Archer First Response Systems, seeks to reduce mortality rates for patients suffering from severe blood loss.

When a 9-1-1 call involves major hemorrhaging, dispatchers will coordinate the drone deployment alongside traditional emergency responders. This allows first responders to begin transfusions immediately upon reaching the scene, rather than waiting for the patient to be transported to a hospital. The drones are expected to cover a 70-square-mile radius, significantly narrowing the response gap in emergency trauma care. The project remains subject to final approval by the Hillsborough County Commission, which is scheduled to review the proposal on September 2.