---
title: "Use of Drones for delivery of Aseptic Pharmacy Medication - Trial"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05539d"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05539d"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05539d.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05539d.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST"
published: "2025-06-27"
---

# Use of Drones for delivery of Aseptic Pharmacy Medication - Trial

Buyer: UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05539d

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05539d.json)

## Summary

The United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is conducting a preliminary market engagement for a trial involving the use of drones to deliver aseptic pharmacy medication, particularly for chemotherapy treatments, within Lincolnshire. The process, currently at the planning update stage, is not a call for competition but aims to engage with suppliers to explore innovative transport solutions. Interested businesses must complete and submit a questionnaire by 25th July 2025. The engagement targets assessing market interest and available technologies to support drone deliveries from the Aseptic unit in Lincoln to various acute care sites across the county, with potential reach of 45 miles.

This tender represents significant potential for technology companies, particularly those specialising in drone delivery systems, logistics, and pharmaceutical supply chains, to collaborate with a major NHS Trust. Businesses with capabilities in real-time tracking, secure payload maintenance, and innovative commercial models are especially well-suited for this opportunity. Aligning with the growing demand for rapid, efficient healthcare logistics solutions, the trial offers a chance to demonstrate cutting-edge technology, with the potential for a long-term contract should the trial prove successful, leading to business growth and enhanced visibility in the market.

## Notice

United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has an interest in the potential use and benefits of drone delivery for aseptic pharmacy drugs, in support of chemotherapy treatment, particularly for short notice delivery requirements. The Trust is keen to review the market for advances in the field and innovative solutions that support: - Drone delivery of aseptic pharmacy drugs from Aseptic unit in Lincoln to acute care sites across the County. - Potential ability for drones to reach distances of up to 45 miles. - Potential to fund a pilot scheme with the Authority. The Trust initially intends to undertake a trial to assess the feasibility of using drone technology in Lincolnshire to transport aseptic pharmacy drugs, augmenting existing road transportation, and to have the ability for short notice delivery of ready to administer drugs. The Aseptic unit currently supports our 4 main hospitals, with 2 peripheral sites. From the trial the Trust needs to understand if delivery between two locations is possible and ideally explore the plausibility of wider deliveries to the other sites. The measure would be effectiveness/cost versus the continued use of third-party transportation via the road network (for those drugs currently delivered by this method). Through this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice, the Trust would like to understand: - The level of interest in the market from suppliers who may be interested in working with the Trust on a trial. - What solutions are currently available and / or available soon that the market can offer. - Airspace controls and restrictions that may impact drone flights. - Real-time tracking, reporting or analytics that are available. - How the integrity of payloads is maintained including but not limited to temperature control and security - Commercial operating models for both a trial and any longer-term contract that the Trust may procure should any trial prove to be successful.

### Planning Information

The purpose of publishing the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice for Drone Delivery Service for Aseptic Pharmacy Medication – Trial is to engage with the supply market to assess the level of interest and for United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to engage with the market to understand solutions and commercial models available. For clarity, this is not a call for competition and no contract(s) will be awarded to any supplier as a result of participating in this exercise. Suppliers who express an interest are also asked to complete the preliminary market engagement questionnaire published alongside this notice in the Atamis tendering portal. Please complete and submit your completed preliminary market engagement questionnaire via the portal no later than 25th July 2025 at 12pm. The purpose of publishing the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice for Drone Delivery Service for Aseptic Pharmacy Medication – Trial is to engage with the supply market to assess the level of interest and for United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to engage with the market to understand solutions and commercial models available. For clarity, this is not a call for competition and no contract(s) will be awarded to any supplier as a result of participating in this exercise. Suppliers who express an interest are also asked to complete the preliminary market engagement questionnaire published alongside this notice in the Atamis tendering portal. Please complete and submit your completed preliminary market engagement questionnaire via the portal no later than 25th July 2025 at 12pm. Suppliers can register an interest and access the questionnaire via the following link https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a07Sr00000YrzbaIAB&searchStr=drone&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County= The Trust may seek clarifications on Supplier submissions or engage in further market engagement relating which may include additional questionnaires or face to face meetings. The Trust may seek clarifications on Supplier submissions or engage in further market engagement relating which may include additional questionnaires or face to face meetings.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035591-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 15 Sep 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Nov 2025 - 30 Oct 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £100,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST |
| Locality | LINCOLN |
| Post town | Lincoln |
| Postcode | LN2 5QY |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF3 Lincolnshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF30 Lincolnshire CC |
| Local authority | Lincoln |
| Electoral ward | Abbey |
| Westminster constituency | Lincoln |
| Delivery location | TLF30 Lincolnshire CC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

## Release History

- 27 Jun 2025 at 08:26 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035591-2025
- 25 Jun 2025 at 14:55 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035168-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035591-2025
  27th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035168-2025
  25th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a07Sr00000YrzbaIAB&searchStr=drone&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.ulh.nhs.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05539d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05539d.json.