# Out of Nenana and Back, With the Finding Pending > A 1,000 kilometre blood flight out of Nenana is documented down to five logged sensor channels. The finding is not published. Published 2026-09-18 by Alaska AI. 9 slides. Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-09-18/ ## The story 1,000 km of blood. Out of Nenana. Back to Nenana. 8 h 47 min aloft. Back at Nenana. ACUASI, part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, flew human blood for the International Testing Agency. UAF puts the flight at 8 hours and 47 minutes. The ITA's own release says only several hours. Two samples each. One flew. One stayed. The Interior Region EMS Council drew the blood at UAF the day before. It was anonymised and chilled, then split into two groups. A 31 foot span, and a 200 pound bay. They are twin engine aircraft with three cargo drop doors, and they work off dirt, grass, ice or tarmac. UAF is one of nine FAA designated test sites for uncrewed aircraft. A circle tests the cargo. A line delivers the care. The flight began and ended at Nenana Municipal Airport. Closing a route holds everything still except the blood, which is how you find out whether the blood minds. It also means this test measured a sample and not a delivery. The distance was the point. Alaska had the distance. "I'm not saying we're ready today, but I think we'll be ready tomorrow." The laboratory was in a building at the same airport. Sysmex equipped a satellite laboratory inside an airport hangar with XN-Series analysers. Dr. Sven Voss, who directs the WADA accredited laboratory in Dresden, ran it. Both groups were analysed on site. Alaska supplied the distance. Cathy Cahill, who directs ACUASI, describes nurses taking samples in a community and getting the medication back before they leave. That is a line, not a loop. ## What we verified - The International Testing Agency completed a 1,000 km drone test flight in Nenana, Alaska, to assess whether anti-doping blood samples can be transported safely over extended distances. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The flight was flown on August 19th, 2026. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The test began and ended at Nenana Municipal Airport. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The flight lasted 8 hours and 47 minutes. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The ITA release describes the flight only as lasting several hours and prints no duration. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The ITA published its account of the flight on September 16th, 2026, twenty eight days after the flight. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - UAF published its account of the flight on September 16th, 2026, written by Rod Boyce. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Sysmex America issued its own release about the flight on September 17th, 2026. [Sysmex America via PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-america-supports-1-000-kilometer-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport-302881475.html), primary document, 2026-09-17. - ACUASI is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and provided flight planning and execution for the test. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The aircraft was ACUASI's Windracers ULTRA drone, tracked from the program's Nenana hangar. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - ACUASI owns two of the twin engine aircraft, which have a 31 foot wingspan, a range of about 600 miles, a 200 pound cargo capacity and three cargo drop doors. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The 1,000 kilometre flight is about 621 miles, slightly more than the roughly 600 mile range published for the aircraft. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Anonymised blood samples from healthy subjects were divided into two groups, one flown on the drone and one kept on the ground as a control. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Each volunteer provided two samples so conditions before and after transport could be compared. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The blood samples carried aboard were chilled. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Neil Robinson of the ITA said samples are in sealed boxes and loaded in the drone, and that the aircraft can be tracked to demonstrate it did not land along the way. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Chain of custody for each sample had to be maintained throughout. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Sensors accompanied the samples throughout the flight to record temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, vibrations and acceleration. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Sysmex equipped a purpose built satellite laboratory, installed in an airport hangar, with XN-Series technology. [Sysmex America via PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-america-supports-1-000-kilometer-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport-302881475.html), primary document, 2026-09-17. - After the flight both groups of samples were analysed in the same on site laboratory under identical conditions. [Sysmex America via PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-america-supports-1-000-kilometer-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport-302881475.html), primary document, 2026-09-17. - Dr. Sven Voss, director of the WADA accredited laboratory in Dresden, Germany, operated the laboratory set up for the test. [Sysmex America via PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-america-supports-1-000-kilometer-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport-302881475.html), primary document, 2026-09-17. - The laboratory was equipped by Sysmex with automated haematology analysis technology and operated so that WADA's documentation for blood sample analysis was followed. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The results of the scientific analysis will be communicated once the evaluation has been completed. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The ITA intends to submit the findings for publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - The ITA will compare results recorded before and after the flight to determine whether the journey had any discernible impact on white and red blood cell populations and indices relevant to the Athlete Biological Passport. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - In the ITA's earlier trial in Doha, urine, blood and Dried Blood Spot samples were transported on multiple drone flights covering distances of up to approximately 20 kilometres. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Post flight analysis of the earlier Doha study indicated that relevant blood biomarkers had not been adversely affected, for short distance transport. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Cathy Cahill, ACUASI director, said the competency of ACUASI pilots is truly outstanding and that an emergency is not something to trust to an amateur. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Cathy Cahill described nurses going into a community, taking samples, sending them back for analysis and getting medication back before the nurses leave. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Neil Robinson of the ITA said there are not many drones like this in the world with this cargo capacity. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Neil Robinson said the interest is to use sport as a model to ship samples, and that he is not saying we are ready today but thinks we will be ready tomorrow. [University of Alaska Fairbanks](https://www.uaf.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery.php), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Benjamin Cohen, ITA Director General, said innovation must always be underpinned by robust science and the highest standards of sample integrity and chain of custody. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Andy Hay, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sysmex America, said the same technology could one day bring timely diagnostics to patients in the world's most remote communities. [Sysmex America via PR Newswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sysmex-america-supports-1-000-kilometer-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport-302881475.html), primary document, 2026-09-17. - Sysmex enabled the long distance test flight through a financial contribution to the project. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Staff from the Interior Region EMS Council collected samples from volunteers the previous day at UAF. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - UAF is one of nine FAA designated unmanned aircraft systems test sites established to develop and test drone technology. [UAF Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/uaf-drone-program-tests-long-distance-blood-sample-delivery), primary document, 2026-09-16. - Prof. Olivier Rabin, WADA Senior Director, Science and Medicine, said transporting samples can be an expensive and logistically difficult process. [International Testing Agency](https://ita.sport/news/integrity-in-flight-ita-completes-a-long-distance-drone-test-flight-to-advance-anti-doping-sample-transport/), primary document, 2026-09-16. - At a joint House and Senate Resources Committee hearing on September 10th, 2026, Hilcorp Alaska senior vice president Luke Saugier testified that without another source of gas supply by winter 2029 there will not be enough gas in the system to meet all the utilities' needs. [Must Read Alaska](https://mustreadalaska.com/analysis-hilcorp-hex-and-chugach-tell-lawmakers-this-winter-can-be-covered-2029-cannot/), report, 2026-09-11. - Luke Saugier also testified that Hilcorp has never been more active in Cook Inlet and remains completely confident in its ability to deliver on all of the gas supply commitments it has made. [Must Read Alaska](https://mustreadalaska.com/analysis-hilcorp-hex-and-chugach-tell-lawmakers-this-winter-can-be-covered-2029-cannot/), report, 2026-09-11. - Luke Saugier testified that even at all time high activity levels the result is basically flat for the last three years. [Must Read Alaska](https://mustreadalaska.com/analysis-hilcorp-hex-and-chugach-tell-lawmakers-this-winter-can-be-covered-2029-cannot/), report, 2026-09-11. - Alaska Public Media reported that Senator Lisa Murkowski said she is not a proponent of data centers at JBER or at Interior installations because of an insecure energy base at this time. [Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/alaska-desk/2026-09-15/forget-jets-and-helicopters-data-centers-could-be-alaska-military-towns-next-noisy-neighbors), report, 2026-09-15. Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.