Many recent tech innovations have come within the virtual sphere, thanks to the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence tools. The use of drone delivery could take things to a new level, both literally and figuratively.
A recent partnership between OhioHealth and Zipline, a drone delivery company, aims to support millions of people within the Columbus, OH, metropolitan area.
Zipline will deliver prescription medication, medical supplies and lab samples — up to eight pounds per flight — within OhioHealth’s network, the company announced last week.
“Zipline drone delivery provides a great alternative for OhioHealth as we look to grow our home delivery services,” Charles McClusky, OhioHealth’s vice president of pharmacy services, said in a statement. “It gets products to patients more quickly and at a lower cost, and uses less carbon intensive packing materials compared to our traditional delivery methods.”
Ohio has the seventh-largest population of older adults among US states, and although it is graying less rapidly than hubs in the Sun Belt such as Florida or Arizona, OhioHealth notes that 37% of state residents are aged 50 or more years.
Zipline claims that it can deliver material up to seven times faster than automobiles. Its Platform 2 model, which will be used for the OhioHealth services, flies at approximately 300 feet and does not create much, if any, noise, during its flight.
On a smaller scale, some senior living communities or their residents are partnering with drone companies for their medical supplies.
A pilot program began in Chandler, AZ, earlier this year to deliver medical supplies to an assisted living community, McKnight’s Senior Living reported.
Within the past few years, senior living communities or their residents have tested similar programs in Florida and North Carolina.
