What You Should Know:
– North Carolina-based health system Novant Health launches the nation’s first emergency drone logistics operation by a hospital for its COVID-19 pandemic response.
– The operation provides contactless distribution of personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies to Novant Health frontline medical teams in the Charlotte metro area.
– The FAA approved the pandemic response operation through Part 107 waivers granted to Novant Health. Zipline, which has partnered with Novant Health, will provide drone flight services under an agreement with Novant Health, supported by additional agreements among Novant Health, Zipline, and NCDOT.
Novant Health, Inc., a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system headquartered in North Carolina, announced the launch of America’s first emergency drone logistics operation by a hospital for its COVID-19 pandemic response. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Novant Health a Part 107 waiver to begin operation, which is being launched as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT’s) Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program (IPP). Zipline, the world’s only national scale, on-demand logistics service which has partnered with Novant Health, will provide drone flight services under an agreement with Novant Health.
“Novant Health has long been at the forefront of leveraging technology to enhance how health care is delivered to our patients,” said Angela Yochem, executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer, Novant Health. “The COVID-19 pandemic has tasked us with being even more nimble and innovative in how we solve complex challenges. Fast-tracking our medical drone transport capability is just one example of how we’re pioneering in the health care industry, which is known for being resistant to change. We are very grateful to the FAA and North Carolina’s DOT for their help to expedite the process during this unprecedented time.”
Emergency Drone Operation Details
The operation provides contactless distribution of personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies to Novant Health frontline medical teams in the Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area. The operation helps position Novant Health, which operates 15 hospitals and nearly 700 locations in the southeastern United States, to adapt quickly to the evolving pandemic and could lead to innovative uses such as testing, drug trials, and vaccine distribution in the future.
The emergency drone fulfillment center, which is adjacent to the Novant Health Logistics Center in Kannapolis, North Carolina, will launch Zipline drones to distribute Novant Health’s critical medical products to its area hospitals. The emergency drone fulfillment center was made possible by Stewart-Haas Racing, which generously contributed to the site.
Two initial routes have been approved by the FAA for the launch of operations. Service will begin with flights to Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center and expand in later phases. Flights to initial facilities will range in distance from 20 to 30 miles round trip.
The drones take off from and land at the emergency drone fulfillment center, requiring no additional infrastructure at the Novant Health facilities they serve. Deliveries are made from the sky, with the drone descending to a safe height above the ground and dropping off a box of medical products by parachute at a designated spot. The drones are capable of carrying close to four pounds of cargo, flying up to 80 miles an hour, even in high winds and rain.
Prior to the launch of this operation, typical drone logistics flights in America ranged between 500 feet to a mile and a half in distance. Zipline’s drones have a round trip range of over 100 miles, making them capable of delivering medical supplies from the Novant Health Logistics Center to more than 30 additional Novant Health facilities upon approval.
Emergency Drone Operation Expansion Plans
Over the next two years, the partnership plans to expand beyond emergency operations in the Charlotte area to regular commercial operations, subject to approval under FAA Part 135 rules, to serve health facilities and, ultimately, patients’ homes across the state. Novant Health and Zipline’s partnership seeks to create a next-generation model for health system logistics leveraging contactless drone deliveries.
“Hopefully, this project and ones like it can help ease the strain on our medical supply chains,” said N.C. Secretary of Transportation Eric Boyette. “We’re living through an unprecedented situation, and we’re going to need innovative solutions like this to get us through it.”
