Orlando start-up launching 'life-saving' drone

ORLANDO, Fla. - A drone with a flight plan to save lives. The Archer First Response System was developed by Orlando native Gordon Folkes. It is an emergency response drone that buys victims time before first responders arrive.

"Our goal is to cut the number of cardiac arrest fatalities in half by 2030," said Gordon Folkes, CEO/Founder, Archer First Response Systems. "They cover 35 square miles in under five minutes, so it’s about a 3.1-mile radius in each direction."

The drone carries an automated external defibrillator or AED for cardiac arrest, Narcan for opioid overdoses, and a stop the bleed kit for severe injuries.

"Specific first aid kit for time-sensitive emergencies," said Folkes.

Here’s how it works: a 911 call comes in.

"They can use either the address of the caller or just the coordinates of the caller’s phone to identify where that person is," said Folkes.

And off the drone goes. It will lower the kit to the location and return to the home base, which is usually a fire station. The goal is to allow the caller to begin life-saving treatment, with help from the dispatcher, while help is on the way.

"We’re average about 3 minutes faster in our response times, which is a 30 percent increase in likelihood of survival for cardiac arrest victims, anyway," said Folkes.

Manatee County, in Florida, will be the first agency to deploy the system, in the coming months. Folkes hopes it proves successful and attracts the attention of others.

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