Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia is partnering with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to investigate faster and more reliable methods for transporting donor organs using advanced aviation technologies. The collaboration was formalized through a Space Act Agreement, announced at UNOS’s Richmond headquarters. UNOS manages key elements of the U.S. organ donation and transplant system under federal contract and has supported innovation across the system. NASA Langley brings expertise in aviation research to this joint effort to address time-critical challenges in organ transport logistics, particularly in congested or hard-to-reach areas.
The partnership focuses on using NASA tools such as advanced modeling, flight planning, sensing technologies, and safety systems to reduce organ delivery delays. The project also includes evaluating the performance of drones carrying sensitive biological materials in realistic conditions to ensure compliance with medical standards. Initial tests will use NASA Langley’s City Environment Range Testing for Autonomous Integrated Navigation (CERTAIN), which enables safe drone flights beyond visual line of sight without ground spotters, allowing for longer and more complex delivery routes that reflect organ transport needs.
Following flight evaluations, an animal test organ will be examined to assess its transplant viability, with attention to temperature stability and possible tissue damage from lack of blood flow. According to John Koelling, director of the Aeronautics Research Directorate at NASA Langley, this initiative is an opportunity to apply NASA technology to real-world medical challenges that can save lives.