The EDEN-Medical project aims to improve cross-border transport of medical goods—such as medicines, blood samples, and lab materials—through innovative drone-based logistics. It seeks to establish a collaborative Urban Air Mobility (UAM) network supported by a modular, open digital architecture. This infrastructure will enable fast, secure delivery of medical items and real-time data exchange between medical teams. Additionally, EDEN-Medical supports the expansion of telemedicine services, allowing hospitals to provide remote consultations across borders.
The project was initiated in response to shared logistical challenges in the programme area. In crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic or recent floods, healthcare systems struggled with stock management, medical goods delivery, and lab capacity. These disruptions highlighted the need for more resilient and cooperative cross-border medical logistics. Although hospitals in neighboring countries are often geographically closer than domestic facilities, systemic differences and legal barriers still hinder efficient cross-border collaboration.
To address this, EDEN-Medical focuses on identifying regulatory and infrastructural obstacles to cross-border drone transport and developing solutions for integration into hospital systems. Working closely with hospitals, SMEs, local authorities, and universities, the project aims to ensure interoperability, regulatory alignment, and practical implementation.
By enhancing medical logistics, improving digital coordination, and strengthening emergency response capabilities, EDEN-Medical contributes to greater healthcare resilience in the region. The EDEN-Medical Project is carried out as part of the Interreg Meuse-Rhine (NL-BE-DE) programme and is co-financed with €1,703,544.55 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), €592,761.54 by the DE-State NRW, and €27,978.62 by the NL-Province of Limburg.
The project brings together a strong consortium of partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. These include Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, OIP, Stichting Zuyderland Medisch Centrum, Docs, Docs in Clouds TeleCare GmbH, Flydrive, flyXdrive GmbH, Maastricht University / Universiteit Maastricht, RWTH Aachen University, EMRIC (represented by the Aachen Fire Department), DronePort Sint-Truiden, and Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg. Together, these partners combine expertise in healthcare, technology, mobility, and emergency services to drive the project forward.
