Peel Regional Paramedic Services launches new medical drone pilot program

October 2, 2026 · 0 Comments

By Kathryn Fraser
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Peel Region Paramedic Services launched a new Medical Drone Pilot Program on September 22.

This program is aimed at helping to provide critical life-saving equipment delivered by drone for those in certain emergencies and support them before paramedics arrive in Bolton.

Life-saving equipment that will be able to be delivered by the drone include AED, naloxone, trauma supplies for severe bleeding, and epi pens.

The drone will be operated by a pilot from the Community Safety program who holds the highest drone certification that one can have through extensive training.

The idea for the program first came from a conversation between Peel Regional Paramedic Services and Dr. Sheldon Cheskes, a Medical Director at the Sunnybrook Centre for Prehospital Medicine, who is internationally recognized as a leader in cardiac arrest research, looking at ways to deliver defibrillators to as many patients as possible. They then began talking about the use of drones delivering packages.

“So, we asked ourselves a question around why not deliver defibrillators or AEDs? From there, it moved into a serious conversation as well as a plan to see if we could study this and implement it within the Region of Peel,” says Brian Gibson, Peel Regional Paramedics Services Chief. “Over the last number of years, our teams have worked incredibly hard to develop and design and procure all of the equipment and technology to get us to this week where we are able to deploy a drone in the Town of Caledon, in Bolton specifically. All with the idea, the effort, and hopefully the outcome to save a life.”

“Early defibrillation is one of the most important factors in surviving cardiac arrest. This initiative is about getting AEDs to patients faster and strengthening the chain of survival, particularly in areas where access can be more challenging,” says Dr. Cheskes. “By combining innovative technology with research, I’m proud to work together with Peel Regional Paramedic Services to improve health outcomes and save more lives in Peel.”

Gibson says that the drone was originally meant for just delivering AEDs. However, as time went on, they began looking at other supplies that could be easily packaged and delivered by a drone which were safe and easy for people to use.

“As we know, for each of those incidents, seconds count. Whether you’re in a cardiac arrest or suffering from an overdose or a severe allergic reaction or having a significant bleed. Having some materials, some items, some medications, at your side as quickly as possible can mean the difference between life and death,” says Gibson.

Gibson says that Bolton became the primary focus and location for this pilot due to the high volume of specific calls that they were receiving related to areas the program is hoping to address. The main goal of this study is to see if it is possible to deliver life-saving equipment in rural and remote parts of the Region.

The drone will only run as a daytime drone and will be active from sunrise to sunset where it will be sent out to a 911 call, deliver the package to the caller, and then will head back to the station to await the next call.

Located in the box will be the supplies that are needed, as well as a phone with videos to instruct the caller how to use the equipment. If the video is not working, then the caller will receive instructions through the 911 operator.

Gibson notes that there may be a few times that the drone might not be able to fly, such as severe weather of harsh rainstorms and snowstorms; however, the drone will be able to withstand the cold on normal winter days.

To identify whether or not this pilot is a success, the program will consider a number of research outcomes, including number of times the drone will fly, response times (specifically response times of the drone vs traditional paramedics), use of technology and how well it supports the person receiving the package and the outcomes of early intervention.

The program will be reviewed every six months, along with updates to information and analytics.

This drone will not only be monitored by the Paramedic Service, but also by Dr. Cheskes himself.

“Residents deserve access to the best possible emergency care, regardless of where they live. This Medical Drone Pilot Program demonstrates how Peel Region is embracing innovation to enhance emergency response and improve access to life-saving interventions, particularly in communities where travel distances can be greater,” says Regional Chair and Chair of the Peel Board of Health Nando Iannicca. “By integrating new technologies with the expertise of Peel’s paramedics, we are building a stronger, more responsive system of care that supports residents during the critical first minutes of an emergency.”

For more information about the Medical Drone Pilot Program, visit peelregion.ca/paramedics/programs/medical-drone-pilot-program.