Moving samples between Guy's Hospital and the lab at St Thomas' Hospital can take more than half an hour by road but takes less than two minutes by drone.

The trial will deliver blood samples for patients undergoing surgery who are at high risk of complications from bleeding disorders.

This six-month operation is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, which has granted the airspace approval. It has been organised as a partnership between Guy's and St Thomas'; Apian, a healthcare logistics company founded by NHS doctors; and Wing, a global drone delivery company that is part of Google's parent company, Alphabet.

Professor Ian Abbs, chief executive at Guy's and St Thomas', said: ‘The drone pilot combines two of our key priorities - providing the best possible patient care and improving sustainability. We are proud to be the first Trust in London to trial this innovative approach to help speed up blood sample analysis for our most urgent cases.'

Dr Hammad Jeilani, co-founder of Apian, added: ‘Drones can increase the responsiveness and resilience of healthcare logistics, allowing clinicians to be more productive and patients to get the care they need sooner.

‘An NHS drone delivery network in London, starting with this innovative trial, will provide on-demand, automated and sustainable deliveries, helping the NHS create more efficient models of working and our doctors and nurses to deliver the highest quality care for patients.'

The pilot is expected to start in autumn 2024.