Mayo Clinic Clear Approach

Drones to Stones

August 02, 2024 Mayo Clinic Aerospace Medicine

Drones, love 'em or hate 'em, are here to stay. The FAA announced groundbreaking approvals this week for commercial drone operations of delivery packages involving unmanned aircraft outside the sight line of drone operators -- paving the way for packages to be delivered remotely to your doorstep using drones operated by pilots miles away. With these changes come issues and a litany of considerations -- from safety to airspace congestion to cooperation of competing firms sharing the same airspace. 

Kidney stones are estimated to affect one in 10 individuals and are a common source of aeromedical certification questions from pilots. On this episode we also discuss what these stones are, how they are produced, and how they are diagnosed and treated. Then we cover how to prepare when it comes time to reporting a kidney stone on your FAA medical application. 

People on this episode