Helsinki is pushing the boundaries of smart city logistics, launching an ambitious pilot program to use drones for the rapid transport of medical supplies. This groundbreaking initiative is designed to test how uncrewed aerial vehicles can provide essential support during both regular operations and exceptional crisis situations. It’s all part of the European Union-funded CITYAM project, which is aiming to build a more sustainable and efficient urban transport network across the Baltic Sea region.
The trial involves flying an approximately seven-kilometre route from Kyläsaari to the Laajasalo healthcare station, a significant distance for this type of urban drone operation. These pilot flights are scheduled to take place several times a day on weekdays between late October and mid-November 2025, providing valuable real-world data.
This long-distance, consistent drone delivery is a first for the Finnish capital and represents a huge leap forward in logistics planning.
“Helsinki hasn’t piloted this longer distance, regular drone transportation with goods before. There is a lot of potential for the future and I am excited to see how these tests will go. There were already many lessons learned from the long and sometimes challenging process to get these flights happening,”
Renske Martijnse-Hartikka, Senior Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki.
This video offers an overview of the City of Helsinki’s innovation company, Forum Virium Helsinki, which is coordinating the CITYAM project:
Determining How Drones Can Be Used
The primary goal of the experiment is to determine the viability of integrating drones into city logistics, not just for planned deliveries but especially for handling unforeseen challenges. This could include routine health sector deliveries or responding swiftly during a pandemic or other city-wide disruption.
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City authorities see air transport as a powerful tool to circumvent the problems faced by traditional delivery methods in dense urban environments. Making deliveries by air has the potential to significantly streamline shipments and lift the overall operational efficiency of the city services.
“Drones are a new form of transport with a lot of potential. In congested and fully-built cities, making deliveries by air can streamline shipments and improve the city’s operational efficiency. This drone experiment, which is now beginning, is truly interesting and will offer us many lessons,”
Sami Aherva, Logistics Unit Director, Stara.
The Tech Specs
The aircraft being used for the November trials is a fixed-wing drone built for light cargo and operates at a relatively low altitude over the city. The flights are operated by Norwegian company Aviant, which already runs similar services across other Nordic countries.
Drone Size
The drone has a 2.6 metre wingspan.
Cargo Capacity
It can carry a maximum of three kilograms of cargo at a time.
Altitude
The flights are conducted at an altitude of 60 to 100 metres.
Current Cargo
The drone is currently transporting everyday healthcare supplies such as masks, gloves, and disinfectant.
Future Potential
In the future, drone air transport could be scaled up to deliver a much wider range of critical medical products.
Operational Security And Future Impact
Safety and compliance are paramount, with the flights carried out Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) under a strict permit granted by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom. While the flights are managed remotely from Oslo by Aviant, dedicated ground staff in Helsinki are always on hand to ensure the drone is prepped and ready for take-off.
The concrete experience gained from this pioneering experiment is crucial for developing future logistics guidelines that are robust and ready for any exceptional situation. This is all about ensuring the health and rescue services sector remains agile and reliable.
“This is an interesting experiment for us because we gain concrete experience with a new delivery method for goods logistics that will be significant in the future, as well as its requirements. The experiment also gives us guidelines for developing goods logistics and for how we can take into account possible disruption and exceptional situations in logistics,”
Ari Lallo, Acting Head of Transport and Logistics for the Social, Health, and Rescue Services Sector.
The collaboration involves Stara (Construction Services), the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division, and the innovation company Forum Virium Helsinki, all working together to shape the future of urban mobility.
For more information, head to Forum Virium Helsinki: CITYAM Project
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