A recent article from NPR said that drone delivery systems are one step closer to reality. The report said: “Drones with longer ranges could eventually be a game-changer in helping meet health care needs in underserved communities and in rural areas, where doctors and patients could be miles apart from medications and supplies.” Another article from CBInsights added that drones are tackling everything from disease control to vacuuming up ocean waste to delivering pizza, and more… and will impact society. The NPR article said: “Drone technology has been used by defense organizations and tech-savvy consumers for quite some time.
However, the benefits of this technology extends well beyond just these sectors. With the rising accessibility of drones, many of the most dangerous and high-paying jobs within the commercial sector are ripe for displacement by drone technology. The use cases for safe, cost-effective solutions range from data collection to delivery. And as autonomy and collision-avoidance technologies improve, so too will drones’ ability to perform increasingly complex tasks.
The emerging global market for business services using drones is valued at over $127B, according to PwC. And as more corporations look to capitalize on these commercial opportunities, investment into the drone space has grown.” Active tech companies in the markets this week include Plymouth Rock Technologies Inc. (CSE: PRT) (OTCQB: PLRTF), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX), United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS).
The report, focusing on healthcare needs, added: “Last year, (a) drone manufacturer… launched an emergency response program that gives first responders access to some of the company’s drones and peripherals, as well as technical support and assistance. So far, (the manufacturer) has partnered with fire departments in Los Angeles and Menlo Park, plus the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, (a university) has tested an ambulance drone that could deliver defibrillators on demand. By extending existing emergency infrastructure, drones may be able to dramatically increase survival rates in both rural and urban areas around the world.”
Plymouth Rock Technologies’ (PRT) X1 Platform will be used in a series of airborne tests for the UK National Health Service (NHS) for emergency apparatus delivery. This will involve several test scenarios, that if successful will lead to on-scene delivery of defibrillators and other critical trauma assistance technologies.
The scope of the work involves the University of Warwick, The East Midland NHS trust and the Welsh Ambulance NHS Trust and will commence in May 2020.
“At this time of global medical resources being stretched beyond measure, we are honored to assist in this matter,” stated Dana Wheeler, CEO. “We believe that the multi-role design of the X1 that was purposely designed to carry up to 20lb of payload in all weather conditions will redefine how UAV technologies are utilized,” concluded Wheeler.
“Our engineers and PFCO pilots are preparing the X1 for this purpose”, stated Carl Cagliarini, Chief Strategy Officer. “We will be working with two other strategic UK contractors who will be the liaison leads on this program. Our platform being used for this capability is both exciting and beneficial to many struggling communities in the UK. We believe that the broad gamut of life-saving payloads from anaphylaxis shot, bloods, vaccine or electronic resuscitation instruments, could save life both on main street and also potentially for greater use for armed forces in the battlefield,” concluded Cagliarini.
Other recent developments in the tech industry include:
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) – U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao recently announced the (FAA) awarded the first air carrier certification to a drone delivery company, Wing Aviation, a company owned by Google. The certification paved the way for Wing Aviation to begin commercial package delivery in Blacksburg, VA. Wing partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and Virginia Tech, as one of the participants in the Transportation Department’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Piolt Program.
“This is an important step forward for the safe testing and integration of drones into our economy. Safety continues to be our Number One priority as this technology continues to develop and realize its full potential,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. Wing demonstrated that its operations met the FAA’s rigorous safety requirements to qualify for an air carrier certificate. This is based on extensive data and documentation, as well as thousands of safe flights conducted in Australia over the past several years.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) recently said it is bringing a veteran aviation exec on board to run its drone-delivery subsidiary as the retail giant continues to push for 30-minute aerial shipping. “We’re very excited David Carbon joined Amazon to lead the next phase of our mission to bring 30-minute delivery by drones to customers,” Brad Porter, vice president of robotics at Amazon, told CNET. “David has over 20 years of experience bringing ground-breaking aerospace innovations to scale safely and reliably, and we look forward to his contributions as we scale up our manufacturing and customer delivery operations.”
Under Kimchi, Prime Air advocated for a national drone-integration plan for air traffic. During AUVSI’s Xponential Conference in 2016, Kimchi laid out a plan to create an organized, layered structure of airspace combined with a system of “federated” traffic controllers. The system would allow aircraft of all types to communicate with controllers and each other.
FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) recently the company stated that for the first time in the United States, a drone completed a scheduled commercial residential delivery to a home in Christiansburg, Virginia. The drone delivery was conducted by Wing Aviation, in collaboration with FedEx Express, as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (IPP). Today’s delivery of a FedEx Express package marks the launch of the first scheduled, commercial residential drone delivery service and the first scheduled e-commerce delivery via drone delivery trial in the United States.
For the duration of the trial, Wing drones will transport select FedEx packages to qualifying homes in Christiansburg, demonstrating the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile delivery service. Wing has received the first authorization from the FAA to conduct scheduled, commercial drone package delivery to residences.
United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE: UPS) recently said UPS subsidiary UPS Flight Forward will use drones to deliver prescription medicines from a CVS pharmacy to The Villages, Florida for the largest U.S. retirement community, home to more than 135,000 residents. The service will use Matternet’s M2 drone system.
Drone transport offers a fast delivery option for medicines that are time-sensitive, while supporting social-distancing efforts. Drone delivery options provide individuals with a convenient alternative to visiting a pharmacy. This program can also help prioritize the protection of our healthcare heroes.
“Our new drone delivery service will help CVS provide safe and efficient deliveries of medicines to this large retirement community, enabling residents to receive medications without leaving their homes,” said Scott Price, UPS chief strategy and transformation officer. “UPS is committed to playing its part in fighting the spread of Coronavirus, and this is another way we can support our healthcare customers and individuals with innovative solutions.”
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