An automated external defibrillator (AED) delivered by drone played a role in saving a life during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest response in Borås, Sweden. On 19 July 2026, a man in his 60s suffered a cardiac arrest. Everdrone’s drone system delivered an AED to the scene before the ambulance arrived.
The drone was dispatched as part of Västra Götaland Region’s (VGR) standard emergency response procedure. Following an emergency call to alarm centre SOS Alarm, the drone launched automatically from its local base in Borås and flew autonomously to the location of the incident. From an altitude of approximately 30 metres, it lowered the AED to the ground on a winch.
Bystanders immediately began CPR and, with guidance from the emergency dispatcher, attached the AED. The device analysed the patient’s heart rhythm and delivered a defibrillation shock. The man regained a pulse at the scene and was subsequently treated further in hospital. The follow-up medical care was provided by the ambulance service and other emergency responders.
“In cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the first few minutes are critical. Everdrone’s drone system helps healthcare providers get an AED to the scene as early as possible, giving the patient the best possible chance of survival,” says Mats Sällström, CEO of Everdrone.
In suspected cardiac arrest cases, the drone is dispatched automatically in parallel with the ambulance. According to Sällström, every real-world use of the system reinforces the value of integrating drones into emergency medical services. He notes that the drone complements ambulances and other emergency resources by delivering life-saving equipment during the most critical minutes.
The response in Borås was part of Västra Götaland Region’s emergency drone programme, under which drones are automatically dispatched alongside ambulances to suspected cardiac arrests. The system, Drone Emergency Medical Services (DEMS), is, according to Everdrone, unique and currently operates in Sweden and France. Sällström says the incident further demonstrates the system’s potential to help save more lives, and he hopes it will raise greater awareness of drones as a valuable complement to emergency medical services.
The service is operated jointly by Västra Götaland Region and Everdrone. It has been operational in the region since spring/summer 2026, following a research programme that has been running since 2019 in collaboration with VGR, Karolinska Institutet and Everdrone. Six operational drone bases together provide coverage for more than 300,000 residents, as part of a long-term initiative to reduce the time before life-saving treatment for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The drones deliver both automated external defibrillators and aerial situational awareness, with the aim of reducing the time to AED delivery and giving responders early insight into the situation at the scene.
The incident in Borås demonstrates how drone technology can be integrated into routine emergency medical services. Besides Sweden, the system is also operational in France, and the service is set to launch in Stockholm Region in autumn 2026.
