Drones Will Modernize the Healthcare Industry, Says Stampede President Kevin Kelly

The drone revolution that’s sweeping the globe is revolutionizing every commercial market and the healthcare industry is no exception, asserts Kevin Kelly, President & COO of Stampede, North America’s leading provider of ProAV solutions. With high-speed capabilities and the latest telecommunication technology, drones have the capacity to help save lives on an unprecedented scale, modernizing how emergency situations are handled in both individual and community-wide cases. 

“The healthcare industry is under pressure to modernize and update just about every area of its operations, from the delivery of new treatment protocols to record management to assisting in case-by-case emergency situations,” Kelly said. “Drones will play a major role in modernizing healthcare in ways that we are just starting to understand.”

Drones are already being tested in the medical field with the delivery of vaccines, medications and supplies to remote locations. Matternet, a smart drone transportation manufacturer, conducted its first field trials in Haiti by successfully delivering small packages to a camp devastated by the 2010 earthquake that brought the country to its knees. “This one instance proved that drones have significant implications in the delivery of medicine,” Kelly said. “When road vehicles cannot reach a devastated area, drones can be used to bring medicine and supplies to people in need.”  

Global drone use in the medical field is spreading. According to Quartz, the World Health Organization and the government of Bhutan teamed up with Matternet this year to build a network of low-cost quadcopters to connect the country’s main hospitals with rural communities. “With only .3 physicians per 1,000 people, healthcare is a serious problem for the Bhutanese population,” Kelly said. “Matternet’s quadcopters can carry loads of up to four pounds across 20 km at a time, which makes a substantial difference in delivering medicine to the community.”

Drones have also been tested for use in individual emergency situations. In the Netherlands, Alec Momont, an engineering student at TU Delft in Delft, designed an “ambulance drone” specifically developed to combat the high mortality rate of cardiac arrest victims. According to Slate, the “ambulance drone” is capable of traveling at speeds up to 60 mph, and is fully equipped with an on-board camera, which allows a remote operator to talk to a victim and provide emergency instructions to whoever is with the victim on the ground. “According to Momont, a drone’s speedy response time and on-scene assistance capabilities could increase cardiac arrest survival rates to more than 80 percent,” Kelly emphasized. “And that’s a significant number.”

While the FAA has not yet extensively tested medical drone use in the United States, they are in the process of developing standards and guidelines for the safe and legal use of drones in commercial applications, in ways that do not violate an individual’s right to privacy, says Kelly.

“When approved, drones will have the ability to serve as life-saving and life-giving resource for a healthcare industry increasingly challenged to find new, safe, and cost-effective ways to deliver much needed medicine to remote locations, gather data needed to assist medical personnel in an unfolding crisis, and provide information to an individual trying to assist someone in need,” Kelly said. “In a very real way, drones are just what the doctor ordered to help modernize the global healthcare industry.” 

Stampede and Vidyo Introduce Drone-Based Video Conferencing Solution at InfoComm 2015

Demonstrating its singular ability to take video conferencing to a whole new level of effectiveness for a wide variety of customers involved in law enforcement, security, first responders, and emergency communications, Stampede (www.stampedeglobal.com), North America’s leading provider of custom configured ProAV solutions, today announced it was teaming up with Vidyo, Inc. (www.vidyo.com), a leader in visual communications and collaboration, to introduce drone-based video conferencing at InfoComm 2015. See a video of the drone in action. 

According to Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly, Stampede will introduce a single integrated solution that combines drones; Vidyo software; video management systems, displays, and connectivity; consulting services; and training into a single one-stop-shop solution for ProAV dealers.  “According to a recent survey of risk managers conducted by Munich RE, in fewer than five years the use of drones could become common practice for 40 percent of all businesses, which means that drone-based video conferencing is going to emerge as an important new element in video communications,” Kelly said today.  “Drones connected to Vidyo endpoint software will now be able to feed live images into a video conference, providing up-to-the-minute video content for participants who need real-time information during a fast changing event or situation.”

Underscoring the readiness of the market to accept drone based video conferencing Eran Westman, CEO of Vidyo, noted that, “The VidyoWorksTM software platform affords the flexibility to integrate with off-the-shelf video-enabled devices like drones, medical telemetry equipment, and smart glasses, and connect quality video streams over wireless Internet connections with a diverse set of endpoints, from handheld mobile devices in the field to multiscreen situation rooms for command and control.  Vidyo integrated with drones is already being used today by a national fire brigade. We are also working closely with police, EMTs, emergency responders, and internal communications agencies to help them enhance their current video conferencing capabilities with live images from drones that have an analog or digital video out from their base station, serving as the camera for Vidyo endpoint software.  We believe the Stampede offering using Vidyo technology will help to drive the demand for drone based video conferencing throughout North America from the very same type of customers.”

The two companies will be showcasing the new solution with a demonstration and presentation at InfoComm 2015. It will be exhibited and demonstrated by Stampede and Vidyo video conference experts at both the Stampede booth on the main show floor (#1759) and the Stampede booth located with in the Stampede-Unmanned Vehicle University sponsored Drone Pavilion (#7042).  

“Incorporating drone fed video and images into a video conferencing system represents the next great advance in the functional utility of the entire video conferencing platform,” Kelly stressed today.  “Stampede is proud to partner with Vidyo to make this solution available to customers throughout North America.”

Stampede Appoints Eric M. Jameson to New Product Manager for Drones

Reinforcing its commitment to make unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, a safe and profitable part of the entire ProAV industry, Stampede, North America’s largest distributor of high value added ProAV solutions, today announced the appointment of Eric M. Jameson to the newly created position of New Product Manager for the Drone and Professional Services categories. Jameson joins Stampede with years of military and commercial drone VAR CTO experience.

“We are honored to have Eric join the sales team,” Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly said today. “With over twenty-five years of analytical, instructional and operational integration experience with unmanned aerial vehicles, Eric brings to us a knowledge of the field that is going to help our dealers make drones a mainstay of the commercial businesses.”

 After earning a B.A. in Political Science – International Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington, Jameson started his career as a Target Intelligence Specialist with a reserve F-16 unit, with responsibility for deploying contingencies supporting OPERATION DESERT STORM, OPERATION DENY FLIGHT, OPERATION DECISIVE EDGE, and OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH.

 Jameson was later selected for commissioning in the United States Air Force to serve as a Squadron Intelligence Officer before heading operations in the Air Operations Center(AOC) – Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Division focused on ISR Operations and Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED). During his career in the Air Force, Jameson successfully led and managed a large division of over thirty people, multi-million dollar budgets, and numerous high value/critical action programs.

 After retirement, Jameson utilized his subject matter expertise in ISR and UAV’s on several contracts to include building the entire fundamentals courseware for the new Saudi Arabian Alternate Command Operations Center (ACOC) and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). As a Senior Intelligence Analyst with JIEDDO at the Combined Operations-Intelligence Integration Center (COIC), he deployed to Afghanistan for six months in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM where his subject matter expertise in ISR/Sensor-Fusion and analytical efforts were directly responsible for removing over 3,000lbs of homemade explosives (HME) from the battlefield.

 Most recently, Jameson has held positions as the Chief Technology Officer at Digital Defense Surveillance; a Principal consultant at ELC Enterprises; a Principal Intelligence Analyst at Leonie Industries; and a JSR and AOC Subject Matter Expert at SAIC.

 In addition to his new position at Stampede, Jameson also serves as a faculty member at Unmanned Vehicle University.  Jameson also volunteers as the Air Force Association’s Arizona State Vice-President for Aerospace Education.

“Eric is a dedicated professional who has a comprehensive knowledge of unmanned aerial vehicles and their applications,” Kelly added. “He is going to play a very important role in developing and deploying Stampede’s long-term product and support programs in this dynamic and rapidly growing product category.” 

Stampede Introduces xFold Ultra-Professional sUAV Drones at Unmanned Systems 2015

Demonstrating its unique ability to offer the industry’s most complete line of state-of-the-art market specific unmanned aerial vehicles, Stampede (www.stampedeglobal.com) today announced the market introduction of xFold  (www.xfoldrig.scom) — the strongest and most advanced multi-rotor sUAV drone platforms ever developed for top level aerial work in film and television production.  The introduction was made at Unmanned Systems 2015 in Booth #543 of the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly, three specific xFold drones are being unveiled at the show.  “The xFold line of multi-rotor sUAVs offers professionals involved in top level aerial work with a complete range of options across a broad price range,” Kelly emphasized today.  “The xFold platform has been proven to be extremely reliable and effective in major motion pictures, television shows, and commercials, and now they are available to customers all across the country through our dealer network. It is completely appropriate to make this introduction at Unmanned Systems 2015 — the industry’s largest gathering of unmanned aerial vehicle professionals.”

According to TJ Diaz, President & CEO of xFold, “This introduction of the xFold line through Stampede joins together the world’s best multi-rotor sUAV platforms with the world’s best channel sales team in North America.  I believe that this partnership will help to bring the benefits of our technology to more commercial markets, faster.”

While xFold offers a complete line of multi-rotor sUAV platforms to choose from, Kelly said that Stampede would be focusing its efforts on marketing the company’s new line of full-featured ultra-professional RTF/ARF sUAV solutions for the commercial AP marketplace.  The XFold Mapper is ideally designed for every type of surveying, inspection, and mapping application.  The xFold Cinema, which features 3D scanners, is designed for high-end feature film and television production.  The xFold Dragon is for real heavy lift and features dual RED EPIC for 3D, fully rigged ARRI ALEXA, heavy scanners (LIDAR), and several sensor options.  Each frame can be configured as Quadcopter, Hexacopter, x8 Octocopter and x12.

The xFold line of sUAVs is so appropriate for the entertainment production industry because the core rig was designed by company co-founder Ziv Marom (www.ZMinteractive.com), an experienced sUAV pilot and cinematographer with years of experience in aerial video and cinematography for feature films that include Expendables 3, HomeFront, Sparks, documentaries, television and other applications.

According to Kelly, Stampede will be offering training programs in conjunction with both xFold and its strategic partner, Unmanned Vehicle University (www.uxvuniversity.com).  “As is our policy at Stampede, we will be bringing a complete solution to market for our broadcast, and film & television customers that includes a wide selection of platform options, training, operator certification, and long-term support.  The comprehensiveness of our offering is what always keeps Stampede ahead of the herd.”

Stampede and Unmanned Vehicle University Are Showcasing Drone Product & Education Solutions at Unmanned Systems 2015

Reinforcing their joint commitment to make unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, a safe and integral part of every relevant commercial market, Stampede (www.stampedeglobal.com) and Unmanned Vehicle University (www. uxvuniversity.com) today announced that they are showcasing commercial drones and education solutions at Unmanned Systems 2015 in two separate booth locations.  Stampede is exhibiting its commercial product line up in Booth #543 and Unmanned Vehicle University is showcasing its education solutions in Booth #1508 in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. 

“There are literally hundreds of commercial market applications for function-specific drones and every single one of these applications requires the certification of a trained vehicle operator.  That’s why Stampede, North America’s largest distributor of ProAV solutions, has entered into a strategic alliance with the only university in the world licensed to offer graduate degree programs in unmanned vehicle systems engineering,” Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly said today.  “And there is truly no better place to showcase our commercial offerings and Unmanned Vehicle University’s education programs than this show. Stampede and UVU are committed to providing the industry with state-of-the-art products and an approved certification program that teaches people how to use drones in a safe and sanctioned way.”

Stampede is displaying an array of drones from leading manufacturers like DJI, Walkera, AEE, and xFold. “We’re showcasing a range of drones that cover every possible business application,” Kelly emphasized.  “No other company has brought together both the products, services and training into one solution that enables our resellers to take full advantage of the opportunities in the marketplace today and prepare for the future.”

Additionally, Unmanned Vehicle University, the first University in the world licensed to grant Doctorate and Masters Degrees in Unmanned (Air, Ground, Sea, and Space) Systems Engineering, is featured in the Stampede booth to highlight the importance of UAV certifications. “Drones are revolutionizing the way businesses operate,” Unmanned Vehicle University Provost John Minor said today. “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working hard to establish the guidelines under which drones can be used in these commercial applications. The one thing they have already made very clear is that properly certified training and education is mandatory. That’s where Unmanned Vehicle University comes in.”