Sysmex America Supports 1,000-Kilometer Drone Test Flight to Advance Anti-Doping Sample Transport

ITA-led research explores whether autonomous aircraft can safely transport blood samples over long distances while maintaining sample integrity

CHICAGO, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sysmex America, Inc., a leading diagnostic solutions company offering hematology, hemostasis, urinalysis, flow cytometry and informatic solutions, is supporting research into the future of anti-doping sample transport following the completion of a 1,000-kilometer drone test flight in Alaska.

The International Testing Agency (ITA), in collaboration with the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI), part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Sysmex America, assessed whether blood samples can be transported safely and reliably over extended distances while maintaining their integrity.

Windracers' autonomous heavy-lift drone completed the 1,000-kilometer flight over several hours from Nenana Municipal Airport in the interior of Alaska. ACUASI provided flight planning and execution, while Sysmex equipped a purpose-built satellite laboratory — installed in an airport hangar — with XN-Series technology. Dr. Sven Voss, director of the WADA-accredited laboratory in Dresden, Germany, operated the lab and ensured rigorous adherence to WADA's sample analysis documentation standards.

Blood samples from healthy subjects were placed in tamper-resistant, temperature-controlled anti-doping kits. One group flew aboard the drone; a matched control group remained on the ground. Onboard sensors tracked temperature, pressure, humidity, vibration, and acceleration throughout the flight. After the flight, both groups were analyzed in the same on-site laboratory under identical conditions. Sysmex also provided financial support to enable the project.

"Sysmex is proud to support this research, but what excites us most is what it signals beyond sport," said Andy Hay, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sysmex America. "The same technology that can move a blood sample across 1,000 kilometers of Alaskan wilderness could one day bring timely diagnostics to patients in the world's most remote communities."

The Alaska study builds on the ITA's first drone transport study in Doha in 2022, which evaluated urine, blood and Dried Blood Spot samples over distances of up to approximately 20 kilometers. The research is part of the ITA's wider "Integrity in Flight" project.

"Innovation is essential to addressing practical challenges in anti-doping, but it must always be underpinned by robust science and the highest standards of sample integrity and chain of custody," said Benjamin Cohen, ITA Director General. "Through this research, we are assessing whether drone technology can become a reliable additional option for transporting samples over long distances or across difficult terrain."

The ITA intends to submit the findings for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Results will be communicated once the scientific evaluation has been completed.

About Sysmex America
The combination of Sysmex America's new testing methods and innovative hematology, hemostasis, urinalysis, flow cytometry and informatic systems are transforming the future of healthcare and contributing to healthier lives. As Americas regional affiliate of Kobe, Japan-based Sysmex Corporation – a trusted global leader respected for optimizing the efficiency, operations and financial performance of clinical laboratories – it offers diagnostic products that equip patients and the healthcare professionals who treat them with the information needed to make decisions with greater trust and confidence. Forbes magazine named Sysmex one of the most innovative companies in the healthcare equipment and services category, and the Center for Companies That Care named Sysmex America to its "Honor Roll." Learn more about Sysmex America at www.sysmex.com/us.

SOURCE Sysmex America, Inc.