Drone logistics service company Zipline has announced a short-route delivery system that is designed to let customers in multiple US cities receive prescriptions, lab tests or even custom-made salads within minutes.
The startup was founded in 2014, and since then it has completed more than half a million deliveries. It has partnered with three US hospitals in three states, plus Sweetgreen, a salad restaurant chain, to launch a home delivery service that can make a 10-mile trip in 10 minutes.
Most other drone delivery companies are only in early stages of delivery projects, although Wing has recently said that it can now deliver up to 1,000 packages a day in the select areas where it is operating, with plans to increase into the millions over the next 18 months.
Zipline has been delivering to a wide array of locations such as Ghana, Nigeria and Rwanda where most of its operations take place. Doctors can order medical supplies via their phone and dispatch emergency blood deliveries.
The start up plans to do more than 10,000 test flights before deploying the new service early next year for its first partners in Ann Arb or, Michigan; Tacoma, Washington and Salt Lake City.
Among the three new hospital partners is Michigan Medicine, which has said that it aims to double the number of prescriptions it fills each year from the service.
Zipline currently flies in seven countries, including three US states. It has recently partnered with Walmart to allow customers to order food straight to their homes.
Picture: Zipline
