Experts testing electric aircraft for time-sensitive radiopharmaceutical deliveries
Could electric aircraft help transport radiopharmaceuticals and other time-sensitive medical cargo to nearby communities?
That’s exactly what aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies is in the midst of testing. The Vermont-based company just wrapped up a five-day flight demonstration campaign in Utah to determine whether the electric carriers are a feasible transportation option for radiopharmaceuticals. It conducted the flights with Provo, Utah-based cargo airline Alpine Air Express, using its Alia CX300 electric airplane as part of the uFLY project under the Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.
The effort is aimed at addressing a key challenge in nuclear medicine—the short half-life of many radiopharmaceuticals. The chemical compounds contain radioactive isotopes that decay rapidly, limiting how far they can travel from production facilities before losing clinical utility. For example, fluorodeoxyglucose, a radiotracer widely used in cancer imaging, has a half-life of approximately 110 minutes.
“When you are dealing with radiopharmaceuticals, you are on the clock the second they are produced,” Alpine Air CEO Michael Dancy said in a news release. “This limits how many patients you can treat and how far away from the production location you can go.”
Alpine Air currently transports radiopharmaceutical shipments over longer distances using conventional aircraft. The companies are evaluating whether electric airplanes could supplement those operations and expand access to medical supplies in additional communities.
During the Utah campaign, Beta flew routes connecting Salt Lake City International Airport with Provo Airport and Logan-Cache Airport. Public flight-tracking data showed the aircraft completing daily round trips in early October, with flight times of 20 to 26 minutes between Salt Lake City and Provo and 32 to 42 minutes between Salt Lake City and Logan.
The Utah flights are part of Beta’s broader participation in the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. The company is involved in seven of eight of those ongoing projects. Its demonstrations have included medical cargo and other missions in several states.
For radiopharmaceutical distribution, the demonstrations could help determine whether electric aircraft can provide a reliable complement to conventional cargo flights. This could improve access to both diagnostic testing and treatments involving the use of radiopharmaceuticals to patients who otherwise might be required to travel long distances.
The Utah campaign is an evaluation of operational feasibility, however, and further data will be needed to determine the routes, costs and delivery requirements for routine medical shipments. Beta said future uFLY flights will expand to other parts of Utah to explore how electric aviation could improve connections with rural communities.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.