Specially commissioned drones will be used to fly blood donations as part of a new trial.
Currently, blood donations are processed in south Wales then transported by road, a journey that can take hours.
The ultimate ambition of the Dragon's Heart project is to fly life-saving blood samples to the scenes of accidents using drones weighing about 55lb (25kg) and 5.5ft wide (1.7m).
The pilot, which is due to start in early 2026, was described as significant and exciting by the Welsh Blood Service.
A hatch in the top means the blood sits in the body of the drone, helping to control the temperature of the blood and minimise vibrations.
The Welsh Blood Service said it would be testing the blood transported as part of the trial, with drones only going as high as about 2,000ft (610m).
Peter Richardson, deputy director and head of quality, safety and regulatory compliance, said: "Rest assured we will make sure that not only is the blood safe when it arrives for use, but actually that we don't waste any of the really valuable donations that our generous donors give us."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q524yly20o
img: Bibeyjj, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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